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NEW YORK •CINCINNATI • CHIGMO ii 
AMERICAN -BOOK' QQMRANX 




Class _tLLl7 
Book > F fe S 
Copyright N° 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 




BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 



EXPLORERS AND FOUNDERS 



OF 



AMERICA 



BY 



ANNA ELIZABETH FOOTE 

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, TRAINING SCHouL FOU TEACHERS, 
JAMAICA, NEW YORK 

AND 

AVERY WARNER SKINNER 

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, ONEIDA, NEW YORK 



3i*iC 



NEW YORK-:- CIXCIXNATI •:• CHICAGO 

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 



■5 



fh'i 



LlfeKARY of CONGRESS 
Iwo CoDles Received 

OCT t7 »90r 

. Copyricnt Entry 

OLAsi /^ XXC, NO. 

COPY B. 



Copyright, 1907, p,y 
ANNA ELIZABETH FOOTE and AVERY W. SKINNER. 



EXPLORERS AND FOLINDEKS OF AMERICA. 

vv. p. I 



PREFACE 

History is a record of human achievement. In the 
sense in which the term is commonly used, there can be 
no history where man has not labored. The story of a 
nation's progress is largely written in the lives of its great 
leaders. The processes of historic growth, the tracing of 
cause and effect, are abstract ideas which average children 
do not readily understand. If we are to create in boys 
and girls an interest in history and in historical reading, 
we must appeal to their love for life and action. It is, 
therefore, the easier way to teach history through biogra- 
phy. Fortunately, it is also the natural and the logical 
method with young children. Great leaders exemplify in 
themselves the ideals and purposes of the people whom 
they lead, and through a study of their lives young people 
may come to know something of the causes which make 
for national success or failure. 

In the few centuries which measure the history of 
America, there are daring deeds of adventure to kindle 
the imagination ; stories of devotion to principle and of 
heroic struggle to awaken sympathy and inspire patriotism. 
It is with the lives of the men who found and built America 
that this book has to deal. While the sketches are mainly 
biographical, the skillful teacher will be able to construct 
with her class a connected record of our country's progress. 
Around the lives of Columbus, of Magellan, of Drake, and 
of Hudson are grouped the daring voyages of discovery. 
In the stories of Cortez, of La Salle, and of many others, 
may be found all the material necessary for an adequate 
knowledge of the period of exploration. All the religious 
zeal, the self-denial, and the devotion to duty which char- 
acterized the era of colonization and settlement is told in 
the lives of the founders and early leaders of the colonies. 
It has been the purpose of the authors to draw a clear and 
interesting picture of the customs and manners of the 

5 



6 PREFACE 

times so that, for example, the children might, after read- 
ing the lives of the Dutch Governors or the Puritan Fathers, 
have some knowledge of how the Dutch and the English 
lived in the early days of New, Netherland and New 
England. 

This book gives biographical sketches of the greatest 
personalities in the history of America, from the days of 
the earliest adventurers down to the Revolutionary War, 
and may be used advantageously in any of the grammar 
grades. It may be noted in passing that it contains all 
the biographical material required in the Syllabus of the 
New York State Education Department for the fifth 
grade, and also all the sketches required in the course of 
study for the 5 A and 5 B grades in the city of New York. 

The material has been put in short sentences expressed 
in a conversational vocabulary. Each sketch is followed 
by suggestive topics for oral or written composition arid 
for review, and a considerable amount of map work and 
outside reading is recommended. 

It is to be hoped that the rich stores of information 
which the child has already gained from his geography 
will be constantly drawn upon and that the wealth of 
illustrative literary material now available will be used. 
Thus may be woven together history and geography, 
biography and romance, in such a way that each shall 
explain and illuminate the others. What does such asso- 
ciation of related subjects mean for the child.'' Clearly, 
some appreciation of the causes which led to the indus- 
trial and social development of a great people, some quick- 
ening of the imagination, and some creation of a desire to 
imitate the examples of noble men and women, some 
admiration for courageous perseverance in the face of 
difficulties, and some respect for duty. 

If we kindle these qualities of mind and heart, we shall 
make our children good citizens. Such fitting, such edu- 
cation, furnishes the well-informed mind, dignifies the 
cultured man or woman, builds a better and more perma- 
nent citizenship. 



TO THE TEACHER 

The Biographies and how to use Them 

Each character presented in this book is a representa- 
tive type of a period of activity or a phase of our country. 
These men are grouped chronologically, and, for the main 
part, by nationalities. The teacher should realize that 
many incidents and statements are included in each biog- 
raphy that are not vital to the child. Such material has 
been introduced to create the atmosphere of the times, 
and to make the characters more realistic and human. 
In no case should a child be required to memorize such 
material. 

These thirty-four character sketches contain the material 
for a year's work in American history for grammar grades. 
They should not be crowded into twenty weeks, but should 
be allowed to follow one ahother through forty weeks. 
In the best history teaching for these grades, the first lesson 
period on each character is occupied by the teacher, who 
uses freely maps and blackboard sketches as she tells or 
reads aloud the story. The children should be permitted 
to ask to have explained points that are not clear. The 
following day the books should be placed in the hands of 
the children and the story read aloud by them. On the 
third day the information so acquired can be used as mate- 
rial for written reproduction- or for a conversational exer- 
cise, oral reproduction, or simple recitation. 

It is believed that no home work should be assigned at 
this stage of history teaching, but that every child should 

7 



8 TO THE TEACHER 

have in his possession a book from which he can read the 
story of each historical personage whose Hfe is to be 
studied. The teacher should always bear in mind that 
the great value of this work is to create a taste for history 
as preHminary to more serious work in higher grades. 

The book contains a number of maps which should be 
used often, together with wall maps and the maps in the 
geography text-book ; for historic incidents may be fixed 
most firmly in the child's mind through their association 
with the geographic knowledge already acquired. It is 
important, also, that the habit of localizing events through 
a process of map visualization be early established. The 
illustrations add much to the value of the book. The 
teacher should discuss them with the class, and will be 
able to supplement them with other illustrative material. 
This outside material, however, should be used wisely and 
with discretion. 



CONTENTS 



-- Leif the Lucky, Son of Eric 

Marco Polo 

Columbus — The Discovery of America 
AiMFRiGO Vespucci — Ouk Country's Name . 
I PuNCE de Leon — The Discovery of Florida 
^ Ferdinand de Soto — The Discovery of the Mississum-i 
1/ I>ali!oa — Discovery of the Pacific .... 
t/ CoRTEz — The Conquest of Mexico .... 

^ PiZARKO and the CONQUEST OF PeKU .... 

Magellan — CiRCUMNAVUiATioN of the Globe 

John and Sebastian Cabot 

Sir Francis Drake — Encjeand's Great Admiral 

Sir Walter Raleigh — Attempts at Colonization . 

Captain John Smith —Jamestown .... 

Pocahontas, the Powhatan's Daughter 

Miles Standish and the Pilgrims .... 

John Winthkop and the Puritans .... 

Ro(;ku Williams — The Settlement of Rhode Island 

Henry Hudson's Explorations 

Peter Minuit — A Dutch Colony in the New World 

Petick Stuyvesant, the Last of the Dutch (^oveknors 

xy Jacques Cartier — French Exploration in Canada . - 

9 



lO 



CONTENTS 



Cham PLAIN, the Founder of New France . 
La Salle — French Exploration of the Mississippi 
The Calverts and Maryland — Lord Baltimore 
William Penn and the Quakers .... 
Oglethorpe and the Settlement of Georgia . 

King Philip's War 

Nathaniel Bacon — The Great Rebellion. 

Benjamin Franklin — Statesman, Scientist, Writer 

General Braddock and Fort Duquesne 

Montcalm, the French General .... 

General Wolfe, the English Commander . 

Sir William Johnson . ... 

Index 



PAGE 

'95 

208 

2ig 
225 
235 
243 
253 
261 
274 
281 
287 
296 
307 



EXPLORERS AND FOUNDERS 
OF AMERICA 

LEIF THE LUCKY, SON OF ERIC 

In the eighth and nuith centuries a bold and hardy 
race of seafaring men from the Scandinavian peninsula 
sailed up and down the North and Baltic seas and even 
as far south as the Bay of Biscay. These men not only 
captured English and French ships, but landed and de- 
stroyed much property near the coast. These Norse pirates 
were called "Vikings," a name derived from the word 
viks, meaning the narrow bays of Scandinavia which har- 
bored the pirates' boats. 

When Alfred was king of England, after years of war 
in defending his country against them, he made a treaty 
by which the northeast half of the kingdom was given to 
some of these invading Northmen. About the same time 
another band settled on the northern coast of France, 
and the French called them Normans and the district Nor- 
mandy. Still others sailed westward and settled in Iceland. 
" The people of Iceland to-day have books of legends 
called " sagas " that tell of the heroic deeds of early 
Northmen. One of their sagas tells of Eric the Red and his 
sons. Eric was a great Viking living in Iceland in the tenth 
century, who with a band of followers explored Greenland 

II 



12 



LEIF ERICSON 



and planted a colony there. Eric had three sons, Leif, Thor- 
vald, and Thorstein, all of whom became famous seamen. 
In the saga we read the story that a ship carrying settlers 
from Iceland to Greenland was driven by a storm far out 
of its course, and that the sailors saw new and strange 
lands to the west. But they were so eager to reach Green- 
land that they turned about as soon as possible and made 
no effort to approach the new shore. When the story was 

told on their arrival 
in Greenland, Leif, 
the son of Eric, 
determined to see 
whether there was 
a land farther to 
the west. As his 
father had explored 
Greenland, he also 
was ambitious to 
discover a new land. 
In the year looo 
Leif with thirty-five 
men set sail. He 
is said to have been 
thirty years of age, "a large and powerful man and of 
a most imposing bearing, a man of sagacity and a very 
just man in all things." They took a southwesterly 
direction and before many days came in sight of a coast. 
" They sailed up to the land and cast anchor, launched a 
small boat and went ashore. As they saw no grass, but 
many flat stones, Leif called the country Helluland, or 
Country of Slates." This is supposed by many people 




Statue of Leif at Boston. 



NORSE EXPLORATION 



13 



to-day to have been somewhere on the coast of Labrador. 
They then returned to their ships and followed the coast 
south until they came to a level, wooded land. The weather 
was fine and " there was dew on the grass ; they touched 
the dew with their hands and putting their hands to their 
mouths, they never before tasted anything so sweet." 




Landing of Northmen in America. 

This country Leif named " Markland," or " Woodland," 
and it may have been the coast of Nova Scotia. 

They again resumed their journey toward the south, until 
they probably reached Massachusetts or Rhode Island, 
where they landed and built booths and one large house. 
Here Leif decided to explore the country. He divided his 
company into groups. One half of the party, by turn. 



14 LEIF ERICSON 

remained at the house while the others explored the land. 
They were ordered not to go beyond a point from which 
they could return to the house the same evening, and not 
to separate from one another. On one of these exploring 
trips Leif's men found some luscious wild grapes, and later, 
discovering their abundance, Leif called the country Vine- 
land. The next spring Leif returned home and on his way 
rescued fifteen men from a shipwreck, and was ever after- 
ward called Leif the Lucky. 

As his father Eric soon after died, Leif succeeded to the 
father's position of importance in the colony of Greenland. 
A year later Leif's brother Thorvald sailed away for the 
new land. He succeeded in landing where his brother 
had spent the winter, and found the booths and the house 
ready for use. When he landed, Thorvald is said to have 
remarked, " It is a fair region, and here I should like to 
make my home." Thorvald's band of men spent two 
winters here, collecting a cargo of timber to be taken back 
with them to Greenland. 

The saga tells us that " one day they discovered on the 
sands three mounds. They went up to these and saw that 
they were three skin canoes with three men under each. 
They killed eight of the men, and one escaped. They 
went on over the headland and discovered certain hillocks 
which they concluded must be houses. They were then 
so overpowered with sleep that they could not keep awake ; 
but they were startled from their slumber by a voice say- 
ing, ' Awake, Thorvald, thou and all thy company ! If 
thou wouldst have thy Hfe, board thy ship and sail away 
with all speed.' A countless number of skin canoes ad- 
vanced toward them. Thorvald ordered the war boards 



NORSE EXPLORATION I 5 

to be put up to protect the ships. After the Skraelings 
had shot at them for a time, they fled precipitately, each 
as best he could." Thorvald was wounded in the armpit 
and knowing that the injury was fatal, asked to be buried 
on the point of land that had first appeared so pleasing to 
him. A cross was placed both at the head and at the foot 
of his grave, and the men called the place Crossness. 
This is supposed to have been somewhere on Cape Cod. 

Not long after Thorvald's men returned to Greenland a 
ship came there from Iceland. The skipper's name was 
Karlsefni. He spent the winter with Leif and heard the 
interesting facts about this new land to the west, and de- 
cided to take the trip. In the spring he sailed with 
one hundred and sixty men and several women. This ex- 
pedition was fitted out with more elaborate supplies than 
any before, among them a drove of cattle. He landed 
where Leif had several years before built his booths. The 
Skrselings came in troops to see the strangers, but at first 
were frightened away by the bellowing of the cattle. One 
band of Skraelings in their fright stumbled into Karlsefni's 
booth. He caught sight of a bundle of furs that they had, 
and readily bought them with some milk, for which the 
natives had a great appetite. Later Karlsefni and his 
men exchanged strips of red flannel for mink, otter, and 
beaver pelts. After three years they returned home with 
a cargo of furs and lumber. 

The word " Skraeling " which so often appears in these 
accounts means a feeble or insignificant person. It is a 
term applied by the Northmen to any inferior people. 
They called Eskimos Skraelings, but we are not to assume 
that they found Eskimos in New England. The descrip- 



i6 



LEIF ERICSON 



tion of the Skraelings leaves us in no doubt about their 
being Indians. " They were swarthy in hue, ferocious in 
aspect, with ugly hair and broad cheeks. They were clad 
in skins, and their weapons were the bow and arrow and 
slings and stone hatchets." 

Some years ago an old Viking ship was discovered, and 
Colonel Higginson has described it minutely. He says it 
was seventy-seven feet long and about seventeen feet wide. 
It had twenty ribs and would draw less than four feet 
of water. " She was clinker built ; that is, had plates 

slightly overlapped 
like shingles on the 
side of a house. 
The planks and the 
timbers of the frame 
were fastened to- 
gether with withes 
made of roots, but 
the oaken boards of 
the side were united by iron rivets firmly clinched. 
The bow and the stern were similar in shape and must 
have risen high out of the water." There were si.xteen 
oar holes on a side, and the oars were twenty feet long. 
This is supposed to have been an average Viking ship. 
Some, of course, were larger. There was no rudder, but 
on the right side was a long, wide oar called "steer-board," 
from which we get the word " starboard." Some hardy 
young Norwegians in 1893 crossed the Atlantic in a vessel 
built on a model of one of these Viking ships, to attend 
the Columbian Exposition at Chicago. 

The most remarkable thing about these explorers was 




Remains of a Viking ship. 



NORSE EXPLORAIION 



17 



their ability to direct their course without the aid of a 
compass. They depended solely on the sun and stars and 
ravens. Each ship that sailed carried a cage of ravens 
that served as pilots. When let loose, the ravens flew 
toward land, and the ship followed. Distance was esti- 
mated by a day's journey or half a day's journey. In this 
way Leif's brother and friends accurately followed his 
route and reached his stopping place. 

Topical Outline. — Northmen in England. France, Iceland, and Green- 
land. Leif, son of Eric, finds a new land toward the west. Methods of 
seafaring. Who the Skraelings were. The sagas. 

Map Work. — Locate on a map or a globe settlements made by the 
Northmen (map. p. 37). 

Memory Selection. — Longfellow's '' Skeleton in Armor." 




Viking ship. 



EXP. .V F. — 2 



MARCO POLO 

In the thirteenth century Genoa and Venice, two cities 
on the Mediterranean Sea, were the homes of great mer- 
chants who owned many ships for carrying on trade be- 




The known world in i4go. 



tween the countries of Europe and Arabia, Persia, and 
India. In 1260 two merchants from Venice, by the name 
of Polo, made a longer journey than usual and at last 



18 



MARCO roLO 19 

reached the ancient city of Cambulac, now Peking, China. 
Here they visited the ruler of the country, whose name 
was Kublai Khan. He was a most powerful prince, hav- 
ing conquered all the countries round about until he ruled 
over the greater part of Asia. 

Kublai Khan had never before seen Europeans, and he 
received these merchants cordially. They were surprised 
to see so many beautiful things so far from the part of the 
world they considered civilized. Kublai Khan soon learned 
from his guests that although his people lived in great 
splendor, they were really very ignorant. The Polos told 
him much about the countries of France, Italy, and Eng- 
land ; and when, after a few years, they were ready to re- 
turn to Venice, Kublai made them promise not only to 
return to his court, but to bring one hundred teachers for 
liis people. They did not, however, succeed in finding 
teachers who were willing to go so far from home. 

The early story of Venice, the home city of these mer- 
chants, is very interesting. The city is built on a group of 
islands off the coast of Italy, and is supposed to have been 
founded by people who i^ed from the mainland when Attila 
the Hun and his army swept through northern Italy. 
These islands are connected by bridges, and the main 
streets are like canals, through which people go from 
place to place in boats called gondolas. Even back in 
the thirteenth century Venice was a beautiful city, having 
many fine churches and palaces. 

On reaching Venice, Nicolo Polo found his son Marco, 
who was only six when he left home, a fine lad of fifteen. 
Marco was very glad to go with his father on the next 
journey to the court of Kublai Khan. Traveling in those 



20 MARCO POLO 

days was very difficult. All ships were propelled by oars 
or by sails, and oftentimes the merchant ships were attacked 
by the pirates that lay w^atching along the line of travel. 
Traveling by land was even more slow and difficult, 
for there were no railroads, few good roads, and fewer 
bridges over the rivers and streams. There were moun- 
tains with snowy tops to be crossed, and deserts of long 
stretches of sand, where the heat was intense and there 
was no water for man or beast. The peoples of Asia spoke 
strange languages, and some of them were savages. All 
of these difficulties were in the way of the Polos as they 
left their ships on the eastern shore of the Black Sea and 
started overland for Cathay, as China was called. On 
this return trip they passed through new sections of Asia 
and met many unfriendly people and robbers. We are 
told that they were more than three years in going from 
Venice to Peking. 

Kublai Khan was delighted to see his friends return, and 
was particularly pleased with young Marco Polo. Marco 
was a bright boy and won friends quickly, for he learned 
the language of the people and adopted their kind of dress. 
Although the son of a rich man, Marco had known little 
of the splendid life of a king's family, and probably no 
king in Europe lived in such grand style as did Kublai 
Khan. 

Marco learned the language and government so readily 
that he was soon employed as Kublai Khan's private sec- 
retary ; then he was sent on important business, some- 
times to remote parts of the empire. On these trips 
Marco had a large company of servants, and traveling 
was made much easier for him than for an ordinary 



MARCO POLO 




Polo traveling in China. 



person. It gave Marco a fine opportunity to visit west- 
ern China, Tibet, Indo-China, and some of the islands 
off the eastern coast of China. 

This Hfe continued for seventeen years. Marco's father 
and uncle were growing old and wished to return to Venice. 
Kublai was sorry to have them go, but he gave them 
valuable presents, and fitted them out with a fleet of four- 
teen vessels, and they returned by way of the Yellow 
Sea, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea. 

Marco was about forty years old when he returned to 
Venice. The Polos were at first regarded with suspicion, 
for they looked shabby in their traveling clothes. Some 
days after their arrival they invited the Venetian nobles to 



22 MARCO POLO 

a feast at their palace. The guests were received by the 
three travelers dressed in rich Oriental robes of brilliant 
satin. During the feast these robes were several times 
changed, some being of damask, others of velvet, all richlv 
embroidered and trimmed in a way very unfamiliar to the 
Venetians. The tables were set with curiously shaped 
dishes of gold and silver, and some of the food was strange, 
for the Polos had brought back with them some of the deli- 
cacies that they had learned to like at the table of Kublai 
Khan. Marco entertained them at that time, and often 
afterward, with interesting stories of his travels and expe- 
riences. 

A short time after the Polos returned home, Venice had 
war with Genoa, and Marco Polo was one of the prisoners 
captured by the enemy. It was hard for a man who had 
traveled and led so active a life to be shut up in prison. 
So he spent the time there in composing an account of 
his travels and adventures. It is said that his keepers 
became so interested in his stories that they released him 
sooner than the other prisoners. 

This book composed by Marco Polo can be found in 
many libraries to-day. It contains descriptions of the 
countries of Asia visited by him and his father, with de- 
scriptions of the court of Kublai Khan, and an account of 
Marco's thrilling experiences when on the secret missions 
of the Khan. It also gives an account of the resources of 
the countries in which he traveled, such as the diamonds 
of India and the rubies of Seilan (Ceylon). In time, 
the trade between these Eastern countries and Europe 
grew very large. The merchants and traders of Genoa and 
Venice were especially active in exchanging the products 



MARCO POLO 23 

of Europe (copper, iron, and wool) for the silk and cotton 
goods of China and India and the spices and precious 
stones of the East. 

Marco Polo has been considered the prince of travelers 
of that time, for he not only visited more countries than 
other Europeans, but he told the story of his travels and 
adventures in a most interesting way. He was the first 
person to describe a trip across Asia from the Mediter- 
ranean to the Yellow Sea. He was the first to tell the 
world of the great wealth and vast area of China. He was 
the first European to describe the countries and people of 
Japan, Burma, and Tibet. He either entered Siberia or 
met people who had been there, for he very accurately de- 
scribes the use of sledge dogs and of reindeer, which were 
unknown in the southland. These stories, when read by 
the Venetians and other Europeans, stirred many young 
men to follow his example of exploration and travel, and 
two centuries later we find Columbus starting out to find 
a shorter route to the wonderful lands of Cathay and India. 

Topical Outline. — Travel in the thirteenth century. Marco Polo's 
home city. Venice. The boy goes on a journey with his father and uncle. 
Kublai Khan and his kingdom. Service of Polo to the Khan. His 
return to Venice after many years. War with Genoa, Polo taken prisoner. 
Polo's book influenced other men to travel. 

Map Work. — Point out on a map (p. 18) or globe : (A) the coun- 
tries described by Marco Polo ; (B) the trade routes from Italy to the 
East. 



COLUMBUS — THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 

Genoa is a city at the northwest corner of the Italian 
peninsula, where the coast bends to the west near the 
border of France. The situation is picturesque, and affords 
the only harbor for miles in either direction. The range 
of mountains bending around but a few miles north of the 
city afforded protection in the early days. It is natural 
that such a city should be the home of sailors. From the 
earliest days men of Genoa owned ships and carried on 
trade. 

The richest and most important trade was with Persia, 
China, India, and the islands of the Eastern seas. Here 
the Genoese merchants exchanged wool and metal goods 
for the silk, spices, rubies, and pearls of the East. These 
goods were brought by caravans overland from the East 
to Constantinople, and from there in ships through the 
Mediterranean Sea to Genoa. 

In 1453 the Turks, who were unfriendly to the people 
of Europe, captured Constantinople. This made it unsafe 
for the people of Genoa any longer to go to India that 
way. The trade was too profitable to be given up, so 
men wanted to find a new route. At this time the young 
boys playing around the wharves of Genoa must have 
heard talk about these difficulties. Undoubtedly among 
the boys listening to the sailors' stories and watching the 
ships come and go, was one in whom every American child 
has an interest. 

24 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 



25 



Christopher Columbus was born probably in 1446. He 
was the oldest son of a wool comber, or man who pre- 
pared wool for the spinners, — work now done by ma- 
chinery. Although it was customary for boys to learn 
their father's trade, Christopher never seemed to like the 
business. The family was poor, but the boys were allowed 
to go to school, and we feel sure that Christopher did good 
work in language, in geography, and in map drawing. We 
know this because his letters, 
which we can read to-day, are 
well expressed, and copies of 
maps made by him are among 
the best of the time. It is likely, 
however, that his school days 
were few, and that he picked 
up much of his knowledge by 
observation, by reading, and by 
listening to the conversation of 
travelers. That is something 
that any boy or girl can do. 

We are not surprised to learn 

chat at fourteen the boy had The boy Columbus talks with 

decided to be a sailor. In those 

days the seas swarmed with pirates, and the crews of 
every ship had to stand ready to fight their way. It 
was a hard life, but it may have done much toward mak- 
ing Columbus a brave and determined captain and explorer. 
We are told that Columbus was in one of these sea fights 
when both of the ships took fire, and he with two or 
three others swam six miles to the shore. 

About 1473 Columbus went to live in Lisbon, Portugal, 




26 COLUMBUS 

probably because it was a flourishing seaport. Here he 
married the daughter of a sea captain. For several years 
Columbus earned his living by making maps and charts 
and by voyages to European ports. The Portuguese were 
very active seafaring people. About the time Columbus 
went there to live, sea captains were coasting along 
Africa to find a water route to India. 

Although it had been twenty years since the Turks had 
taken Constantinople, no new route had been found to 
India, and trade had almost stopped. The Portuguese ex- 
plorers went farther and farther down the coast of Africa; 
but it seemed that the distance around the Cape of Good 
Hope would be too long even if India could be reached 
that way. 

Most people at that time believed the earth to be 
flat. A few scholars for hundreds of years had claimed 
that it is round, but this could not be proved. It seemed 
just as strange to those people then as it does to the boys 
and girls to-day when they are first told that they live on 
a round ball. An astronomer and geographer by the 
name of Toscanelli, who lived in Florence, Italy, had 
made a map showing the spherical shape of the earth and 
locating on it places visited by Marco Polo and places well 
known by pAiropeans. 

Toscanelli wrote to the king of Portugal as early as 
1474, and told him that China and Japan could be reached 
by sailing west, but the king did not believe it. Some ot 
the letters and Toscanelli's maps fell into the hands of 
Columbus. Possibly that was the way the idea first came 
to him — we do not know. Both of the men supposed 
that the earth was somewhat smaller than it really is, and 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 



2; 



neither of them dreamed of any land intervening between 
Europe and eastern Asia. Columbus had once made a 
trip to Iceland, but by that time the voyages of Leif and 
Karlsefni had long been forgotten. He had also read 
Marco Polo's book and had gained from it some knowledge 
of the countries of Asia. 

Columbus was fearless, and he fully realized the im- 
portance of finding a shorter water route to India. He 
firmly believed that he could reach India by sailing west, 
but he had not enough money to fit out such an expedition. 
First, it is said, he 
sought aid from his 
native city, Genoa, 
and failing there he 
went to Venice ; but 
in both places he was 
regarded as an idle 
dreamer and received 
no encouragement. 
He next laid his plans 
before the king of 
Portugal, but the king 
would give no assis- 
tance. Columbus then 
went to Spain and 
explained to a council of learned men what he believed 
could be done. Some of them said, " You cannot prove 
that the earth is round." Others said that the Sea of 
Darkness, as the Atlantic Ocean was then called, was 
filled with hideous monsters and no one ever returned 
who went out far from land. The greatest objection was 




Columbus. 



28 



COLUMBUS 



that success was too uncertain and the expense too 
great. 

Columbus was stared at on the street and laughed at by 
old and young as cither foolish or crazy. He did not give 
up, and for seven years he sacrificed everything for this 
one object. He asked assistance from King Ferdinand 
aiul Queen Isabella, but they did not consent to help him. 




The departure of Columbus. 

His brother went to the king of England without success. 
Finally, Colimibus started to lay his plan before the king 
of France. Then a priest, a distinguished captain, and 
one of the queen's officials convinced Isabella that Colum- 
bus's plan was a good one, and that Spain would gain 
great riches if a water route to India should be found. 
Isabella recalled Columbus and fitted up at her own 
expense a fleet of three sailing vessels, called carav^els, the 
Santa Maria, Pint a, and Nina. These ships were much 
smaller and lighter than the ships crossing the Atlantic 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 29 

to-day, and all together there were only ninety sailors in 
the fleet. Even this small number of seamen were ob- 
tained with great difficulty. Criminals were pardoned 
and debts forgiven on condition that the men sail with 
Columbus. Others were forcibly enrolled for the voyage 
by order of the king. With such crews — of ignorant 
and unwilling men — Columbus had to deal, and the fact 
that he held them in check throughout this voyage upon 
what they called the Sea of Darkness shows something of 
his power as a leader of men. The compass, an instru- 
ment used to show direction, had been perfected but a few 
years before this, and Columbus had one. On August 3, 
1492, they sailed away from Palos. They went first to 
the Canary Islands, where they had to stop to repair the 
rudder of the Pinta. They resumed their journey Sep- 
tember 6, sailing due west. 

Many sailors cried like children when these islands dis- 
appeared and nothing but the trackless ocean and blue 
sky could be seen. All went well for a week or two, when 
one day it was noticed that the needle of the compass no 
longer pointed in the usual direction, but varied a little 
toward the northwest. This alarmed even Columbus. 
But he had to conceal his fears, for the mutinous sailors 
wanted to turn back because they believed it would be 
sure destruction to go on. The sailors feared, also, that 
the winds which blew westward so steadily would prevent 
their ever returning. Columbus, however, succeeded in 
restoring order. 

In a few days one of the crew saw a tropical bird which 
it was believed never goes farther than a hundred miles 
from land. Three days later, September 16, large patches 



30 



COLUMBUS 



of seaweed floated near their ships. This was, at first, an- 
other source of alarm for the ignorant sailors ; but the 
ships soon passed safely through these floating meadows 
of seaweed and grasses. Day after day some new sign 
of approach to land was seen, and the sailors took courage 
and worked with a will. Ofificers and men looked eagerly 
for land every day and were daily disappointed. Birds 
were seen flying in a southwesterly direction, so Pinzon, 
who commanded the Piiita, urged Columbus to change 
his course. Columbus set the rudders for a southwesterly 
course. If instead he had continued to sail due west, he 

would have reached 
the coast of the 
North American 
mainland, which he 
really never saw. 

On the night of 
October ii, almost 
five weeks after they 
sailed away from 
the Canary Islands, 
Columbus thought 
he saw a small mov- 
ing light not far 
away. We can im- 
agine the eagerness 
felt by all on board for morning to come. About daybreak 
on October 12, a sailor on the Pinta was sure he saw a 
strip of land. It was ten weeks since they had left 
Spain, and many of the men feared they would never again 
see land of any description. When the shout of " Land ! " 




First sight of land. 
(Medal) 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 3 1 

was heard, some of the men fell to their knees and thanked 
God ; others wept for joy. They made ready at once to 
go on shore. 

Columbus was dressed in a rich robe of scarlet, and 
carried the gorgeous red and gold flag of Spain. Other 
officers bore green banners on which the names of the king 
and queen of Spain were written. Still others clad in bright 
suits of armor carried crosses and other emblems. Spanish 
national music was played as they approached the island in 
the small boats. As they landed, all knelt and kissed the 
ground. Then Columbus arose, and striking the ground 
with his sword, took possession in the name of Spain 
and called it San Salvador (Holy Savior). 

As Columbus supposed the land was in the Indies, he 
called the natives Indians. At first these Indians fled in 
fear, but soon crept back and began to worship Columbus 
and his men as superior beings from the sky. In his 
journal Columbus says : " As I saw that they were friendly 
to us, and perceived that they could be much more easily 
converted to our holy faith by gentle means than by force, 
I presented them with some red caps, and strings of beads 
to wear upon the neck, and many other trifles of small 
value, wherewith they were much delighted, and became 
wonderfully attached to us. Afterwards they came 
swimming to the boats, bringing parrots and other things 
which they exchanged for articles we gave them, such as 
glass beads. But they seemed on the whole to be very 
poor people. They all go completely naked. All whom 
I saw were young, not above thirty years of age, well 
made, with fine shapes and faces ; their hair short and 
coarse like that of a horse's tail, combed toward the fore- 



32 



COLUMBUS 



head, except a small portion which they suffered to hang 
down behind." 

Columbus later tells us that these natives painted the 
body with various bright colors, and made their javelins 
with sticks pointed with fish bones, as they had no iron. 

He also gives a good 
account of his visit to the 
home of the king of the 
island, who was very 
friendly, and ordered sev- 
eral houses to be made 
ready at once for the 
visitors. Columbus was 
delighted with the hos- 
pitality shown him and 
with the singing birds 
and the fine fruit that 
grew on the island. The 
explorers visited Cuba and 
several of the neighbor- 
ing islands, everywhere 
looking for those cities of 
wealth described by Marco 
Polo. Columbus really 
believed he was among the islands off the coast of China, 
and that by sailing a few days farther he could reach 
that coast and deliver to the Khan a letter given him 
by the king and queen of Spain. 

One morning while coasting along Haiti, or Hispaniola 
(Little Spain), as he called it, the largest ship, the Santa 
Maria, went aground on a sand bar. Soon the waves 




m^ 



Santa Maria. 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 



33 



GULF OF 

MEXICO W i \% ATLANTIC 

■SAN SALVADOR 

■'<^^ OCEAN 

PORTO RICO 




had beaten her to pieces. As the Pinta had gone off 
on an independent expedition, there was but one ship, 
the Nina, left. This was too small to carry all the men 
back to Spain, so it was decided to take the timbers from 
the Santa Maria and build a fort in Haiti. Forty of the 
sailors with provisions for a year were left there. This 
was the first colony in 
the New World. Colum- 
bus also left seed and 
implements for planting 
grain and vegetables in 
the spring. 

On January 4, 1493, 
the Nina sailed for 
Spain, and on the re- 
turn voyage touched at ^^"'^^ ^"""•^ ^^ Columbus in four voyages. 

the Azores, where the explorers were treated with scant 
courtesy by the Portuguese governor of the islands. After 
delaying here some days they again set sail and on March 
1 5 entered the port of Palos. On the same day the Pinta, 
commanded by Pinzon, also arrived. The town was wild 
with excitement when the news spread that Columbus 
had returned from a voyage to the Indies. 

At Barcelona there was a great procession in his honor. 
Six Indians smeared with paint and decked with feathers 
led, followed by the sailors with strange plants and strange 
birds, both live and stuffed, that they had brought back with 
them. Columbus rode on horseback attended by some of 
Spain's greatest men. This procession ended at the resi- 
dence of the king and queen, who were waiting in the throne 
room to receive Columbus. They showed him great hontir 

EXP. & F. — 3 



34 



COLUMBUS 




^^#f 



X' 




Return of 



by rising as he entered, and after he had knelt and kissed 
their hands, they bade him sit like an equal in their pres- 
ence. Columbus then gave an account of his voyage. He 
believed that he had visited the islands just off the coast of 
India and China, and that the great wealth of these coun- 
tries was easily within reach of Spain. Ferdinand and 
Isabella were so pleased that they said Columbus should go 
on another voyage soon. 

In September, 1493, Columbus sailed, this time with a 
fleet of seventeen vessels and fifteen hundred men, many 
of whom were young men of noble birth, all believing that 
they were going to the land of jewels, spices, and precious 
metals. Columbus on this voyage took with him horses 
and cattle, besides many vines and seeds. When they 
reached Haiti, where he had left the forty men, he found that 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 



35 




' '. ! Ilk }^' 



■A -r,r 




Columbus. 



the fort had been destroyed and the only traces of the men 
were eleven graves. What became of the others was never 
known. At another place in Haiti he built a town which 
he named Isabella, and for three years he explored the 
surrounding country, visiting many small islands, besides 
Cuba and Jamaica, in which settlements were made. His 
disappointment was very great, for with all this time 
and effort he had failed to find the famous cities of India 
or Cathay or Cipango (Japan). He returned to Spain, 
and the king and queen were so well pleased with his 
reports that in May, 1498, he sailed for the third time, 
with six vessels. This time, directing his course farther 
south, he discovered more islands, and saw part of the 
northern coast of South America. 

His health became poor, so he returned to Haiti, 
where he found the colony in trouble with the Indians. 
For two years he tried to settle the diflficulties, but failed. 



36 COLUMBUS 

Some of the men sent a report to Spain complaining of 
Columbus. Officers were sent to investigate. His enemies 
caused his arrest, and he was carried back to Spain in 
chains. But the people regarded him as a hero, and Queen 
Isabella was sorry for the old man, so she pardoned any 
offense he might have committed and set him free. 

In 1502, for a fourth time, he started out to explore 
further the coast of America, but he was shipwrecked off 
the island of Jamaica. He spent an unhappy year there 
and then returned to Spain. Queen Isabella soon died, 
and Columbus found he was without a friend, for the 
king and government officials and business men did not 
like it because Columbus had found neither the rich cities 
of India, nor large quantities of gold and precious stones. 
So the last days were very sad ones for the disap- 
pointed and friendless old man. He died May 20, 1506, 
not knowing that he had really discovered a new world. 

Topical Outline. — Genoa, the birthplace of Columbus. Rich trade 
with IncH.i. Turks capture Constantinople (1453). Genoa needs new 
route to India. Columbus believes the earth to be round, and that 
India could l^e reached by sailing west. Ferdinand and Isabella fit out 
ships for him. The great voyage and discovery of a new land. Suc- 
ceeding voyages. Columbus's services. 

For Written Work. — I. Imagine you were a sailor on the Santa 
Maria, and tell how you felt when the Canary Islands disappeared from 
view. II Write a paragraph telling whether this work of Columbus 
was as great as if he had found the route to India. III. Describe the 
days of Columbus's old age. 

Map Work. — Locate on a map or globe Genoa, Venice, Portugal, 
Spain, Palos, the Canaries, San Salvador, Cuba, Haiti, the Azores 
(PP- '8, 33, 37). 

Memory Selection. — Joaquin Miller's " Columbus." 




ALL LANDS OH THIS SIDE CLAIYED BY SPAIN 



^ &.SOUTM a£ORGIA I 

ALL LANDS ON THIS SIDE CLAIMED BY PORTUGAL 



Discovery on the east coast of America 



(37) 



AMERIGO VESPUCCI — OUR COUNTRY'S NAME 

Some people have claimed that our country should have 
been called Columbia, in honor of the man who discovered 
it. That it was not is due largely to the fact that he and 
others of his time supposed that he had reached the islands 
east of India, or the East Indies. No one realized that 
these islands were a part of a new world. The name 
America is derived from Amerigo, the given or Christian 
name of the man who first explored the mainland of 
South America and recognized it as a continent hitherto 
unknown to Europeans. 

Amerigo Vespucci (Latin form Americus Vespucius) 
was born in Florence, Italy, in 1452, of a well-to-do family. 
We know little of his boyhood save the fact that he re- 
ceived a good education, including superior training in 
map drawing and astronomy. He was genial by nature, 
or, as we say, he was good company, and had many friends. 
He became a merchant, but while still a young man he 
moved to Spain. 

In Spain, Amerigo became associated with a man who 
furnished caravels for foreign exploration. Such business 
brought Amerigo much in company with navigators. The 
result was that in 1499 he sailed to the New World as 
pilot and scientific man with Ojeda. There are stories to 
the effect that he went on an expedition a year or so be- 
fore this, but scholars can find no proof of such a trip. It 

3« 



OUR COUNTRY'S NAME 39 

is certain that he was with Ojeda and visited the coast of 
South America from the mouth of the Amazon north past 
a country which they named Venezuela (Little Venice). 







Amerigo Vespucci explores the coast. 

They found valuable pearl fisheries and had many inter- 
esting adventures with the natives, which Amerigo describes 
very clearly. 

After returning to Spain, he was appointed Pilot Major, 
that is, an officer whose duty it was to have supervision 
of all maps and charts and to examine all pilots in the use 
of nautical instruments before they were allowed to sail. 
Amerigo was well acquainted with Columbus and knew all 
about Columbus's work. 

Amerigo claimed to have made, in all, four voyages 
to the New World — the same as did Columbus. The fa- 
mous one was made in the service of Portugal. It was 
begun in May, 1501, when he crossed the Atlantic in a 



40 AMERIGO VESPUCCI 

southwesterly direction and reached the coast of Brazil. 
He followed this coast south, noting, as he went along, 
the manners of the natives, as well as the vegetation. He 
tells us that the climate and the country were so delightful 
that he thought the earthly paradise could not be far 
away. He described a bay which is supposed to be the 
mouth of the Plata River. This shows that he coasted 
a long way south. He then struck out into the Atlantic. 
He tells us that he met fearful storms, cold winds and 
hot in turn, and after many, many weary days he reached 
Lisbon in September, 1502. 

Now Amerigo was a great talker, and people listened 
intently to his thrilling stories. Their interest may have 
led him to boast of the things he had done. Certain it 
is that he talked and wrote letters about his travels, while 
Columbus just reported to the king and queen and to the 
business men who fitted out his vessels. In one of Ame- 
rigo's letters he says: "I have found a continent more 
thickly inhabited by people and animals than is Europe, 
Asia, or Africa. It might properly be called a nezv worlds 
We must remember that Amerigo and even Columbus at 
this time supposed that the parts visited by Columbus 
belonged to Asia and were in no way connected with this 
vast land visited by Amerigo. Maps were made accord- 
ing to this belief. 

In time these letters of Amerigo were printed in Latin, 
French, and German and were widely read. Among the 
readers was a German college professor who was about to 
publish a geography. He was greatly pleased with Ameri- 
go's intelligent account of his travels. In his new book 
this professor suggested that, as Amerigo had found the 



OUR COUNTRY'S NAME 4I 

fourth part of the globe (Europe, Asia, and Africa being 

the other three), the new continent should be called after 

him — America. Maps were made, and this land was 

named Amerigo's Land. 

As time went on others visited the western hemisphere, 

and it was learned that a great continent lay to the north, 

connected with this southern continent by an isthmus. 

Then Mercator published a famous map showing the two 

continents and calling each America. In time they were 

distinguished as North and South America. To-day we 

wish our country to have no other name and believe it was 

a suitable reward to Amerigo for writing so well about his 

travels. 

Topical Outline. — Amerigo Vespucci met many sailors and knew 
Columbus. His voyages to the New World. His exploration of South 
America. His letters about his voyages. New World called America 
from Ameriijo's name. 



PONCE DE LEON -THE DISCOVERY OF 
FLORIDA 

Among the Spanish gentlemen who sailed with Colum- 
bus in his second voyage in 1493 was one by the name of 
Juan Ponce de Leon, then thirty-three years of age. He 
was of a noble family and as a boy had served as page 
in the king's household. When a young man he entered 
the army, and in 1493 had just returned from the war 
against the Moors. The name Leon is Spanish for lion, 
and a poet once said that Ponce was lion not only by 
name but also by nature. 

After his trip with Columbus, Ponce de Leon returned 
to Spain and some years later was made military com- 
mander at the eastern end of the island of Hispaniola, 
now known as Haiti. If you look at a map, you will 
see lying just east of Haiti an island called Porto Rico. 
One day Ponce with a few friends visited this island and 
was well received by the chief. The Spaniards were 
delighted with the beautiful mountains and fertile valleys. 
They asked about gold, and the Indians pointed to the 
mountains. Ponce at once decided that this island should 
be conquered. He applied to the king of Spain for 
permission to add this beautiful island to his dominions. 
The request was granted, and Ponce led a great expedition 
to Porto Rico. The natives behaved very differently 
when they found that the Spaniards had come as con- 
querors and not as visitors. After months of hard fighting 

42 



DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA 



43 



the natives were overcome and Ponce de Leon was made 
governor. 

The Hon part of his nature daily showed more and more. 
He seized all the treasures of the natives, and in other 
ways ruled with great severity. Such treatment made the 
Indians hard to control. They greatly outnumbered the 
Spaniards, but were kept down by the fire-arms and the 
bloodhounds used by their conquerors. Ponce de Leon 
had one bloodhound that was rated as a soldier and drew 
full pay and allowance of food as such ; for this dog was 
unusually fierce and obedient and could do as much harm 
to an enemy as could a soldier. There were many up- 
risings among the Indians, and every time they were 
defeated they were treated with greater severity than 
before. It appeared probable that in a few years the 
Indians would be largely killed off and the Spaniards 
could enjoy undisturbed the possession of this beautiful 
island. 

We are told that Ponce de Leon was made governor for 
life. He was then over fifty, and the experiences of the 
soldier had so stiffened him that he seemed and felt very 
much older than he was. Not long afterwards an Indian 
story reached him that in a country to the north was a 
river whose waters made old men young if they bathed in 
them. There was also an island with a fountain whose 
waters possessed the same miraculous power. 

Imagine this gray-haired, war-worn old man getting 
together vessels for an expedition to find the fountain 
of youth ! People to-day would laugh to scorn such an 
undertaking. But that was a wonder-loving age. People 
told big stories and other people readily believed them. 



44 PONCE DE LEON 

Why should they not? Had not the past ten years been 
filled with most wonderful discoveries ? An undreamed- 
of New World had been found ; certainly a fountain of 
youth was small in comparison. Every man selected by 
Ponce de Leon to go with him expected to get the same 
benefit from the water. Then, too, all those left behind 
might be restored to youth on some later trip, if the first 
explorers were successful. There was great bustle and 
excitement when the expedition sailed away from Porto 
Rico one morning in the early spring of 15 13. 

Ponce de Leon directed his course at first to the north- 
west among the Bahama Islands. He made many stops 
and always asked about the fountain of youth. But no 
one seemed to know exactly where it could be found. 
Some had heard of both the fountain and the river and 
believed that they were not far off. We have no reason 
to think that Ponce and his men became discouraged, for 
they held their course, finding new islands almost every 
day. 

Toward the close of March they saw a densely wooded 
coast to the west that looked much larger than any seen 
before. The winds for several days kept them away from 
the shore ; but on Easter morning they succeeded in mak- 
ing a landing. The day was bright and warm. The fresh 
trees and flowers made the country look most inviting. 
The Spaniards felt that Nature had decorated herself with 
flowers for Easter Sunday, just as the churches at home 
were always filled with flowers on that day. The Spanish 
name for the day was Pascua Florida (Flowery Easter), 
so they called the country Florida. No one since has 
found a better name for the land. 



DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA 



45 



Ponce de Leon and his men landed near the site of the 
present city of St. Augustine. They found the natives, 
they said, unfriendly. It is more probable that the Spanish 
made them unfriendly by treating them as they were in 
the habit of treating those in Porto Rico. They bathed in 
all the springs and streams they found along the coast for 




Ponce de Leon looks for the fountain of youth. 

many miles. But Ponce came out of the water each time 
the same old man that he was when he went in. It may be 
that he was stiffer and felt even older after so much swim- 
ming and bathing in rivers and streams so early in the 
spring. Certain it is that after a few weeks he gave up the 
search and started home to Porto Rico. 

In spite of the disappointment in not finding the magic 
spring, Ponce de Leon realized that he had discovered 



46 PONCE DE LEON 

land not yet claimed by any European power. He thought 
Florida was an island, but an island much larger than any 
thus far found. He promptly went to Spain to report his 
discovery. The king was greatly pleased and gave him 
permission to conquer and to govern Florida as well as to 
rule in Porto Rico. 

For several years after this, Ponce de Leon remained in 
Porto Rico, adding new luxuries from Spain to his island 
kingdom. He kept putting off the conquest of Florida, but 
finally, in 1 52 1, he attempted the work that was suitable only 
for a young man. The natives of Florida had not forgotten 
the Spaniards, and proved even more fierce than they were 
during the first visit. They fought desperately to keep the 
invaders from landing. Ponce was soon wounded, and his 
age and broken health made it necessary to withdraw. His 
followers carried him back to Porto Rico. The wound did 
not heal, and in a few weeks he died. Instead of prolong- 
ing his life, the trip to Florida had been the means of short- 
ening it. His work gave Spain claim to an indefinite amount 
of land on the mainland of North America, but its conquest 
was left to other Spanish adventurers. 

Topical Outline. — De Leon with Columbus in the second voyage. 
Military commander at Hispaniola. Conqueror and governor of Porto 
Rico. The Indian story of a fountain of youth. De Leon's search for 
it. His discovery of Florida. What he did in Florida. His death. 

For Written Work. — I. A letter that De Leon might have written to 
a friend in Spain telling about the magic spring and his hopes. 
II. Describe the first Easter day in Florida- 



FERDINAND DE SOTO — THE DISCOVERY 
OF THE MISSISSIPPI 

At the time that Ponce de Leon was exploring Florida, 
there was a thirteen-year-old boy in Spain whose name was 
destined some years later to be connected with the new 
land. This boy was sturdy and strong and could throw 
most of his companions. He was not fond of books, but 
was naturally very quick to observe. He often surprised 
his family by his grasp of questions of business and of 
government. His father had many friends who had been 
on voyages to the New World, and the young boy 
heard the stories these men had to tell of their wonderful 
adventures. His name was Ferdinand de Soto. 

De Soto went to the New World in 15 19, and had not 
been there long before he had the chance to go out with the 
army to conquer Nicaragua. He soon showed great ability 
as a soldier, and by the time he was twenty-eight years old 
he was made commander of the troops. His next great ex- 
pedition was with Pizarro in the conquest of Peru. After 
this he returned to Spain, taking with him, it is said, a 
million dollars as his share of the spoils. He married a 
distinguished lady and lived in princely style. He was 
much sought by society because of the stories of his six- 
teen years of thrilling adventures. This life soon proved 
unattractive to the man of action. He yearned for the 
excitement of conquest. 

47 



48 



FERDINAND DE SOTO 



About this time Cabeza de Vaca returned to Spain after 
eight years of wandering in the wilderness between Florida 
and Mexico. He brought the curious story of El Dorado 




De Soto sails for the New World. 

(the Gilded Man). As the story circulated, it took the 
form that there was a tribe of Indians in the district 
called Florida whose chief was a gilded man. Every 



DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI 49 

morning this chief was bathed in some, sticky liquid and 
then thickly sprinkled with powdered gold. 

De Soto was just the man to lead the search for the 
kingdom of the Gilded Man. He was made governor of 
Cuba and Florida, with permission to fit out the expedition 
at his own expense, and as was usual he promised to give 
to the king one fifth of all the gold found. De Soto was 
then about thirty-eight years of age, and one of the richest 
and gayest cavaliers in Spain. Such a leader and such a 
prospect made the undertaking immensely popular. Rich 
men and poor men, old and young, men of high birth and 
of low birth, all flocked to the standard. Some sold their 
ancestral estates, others sold their little shops ; but many 
had nothing to sell and were obliged to work their passage. 
All expected to get rich. 

Choosing from among them some of the bravest and best, 
De Soto soon set sail for the New World. The expedition 
was like a monster picnic party. The leaders were gayly 
dressed, banners were flying, and music playing. Probably 
no other explorers ever left Spain amid greater rejoicing. 
They went direct to Cuba, and stayed there about a year. 
Then they set sail for Florida, after several weeks of bull- 
fights, balls, and masquerades. The feasting and merry- 
making lasted until the hour of sailing. 

De Soto had with him nine vessels and five hundred 
and seventy men, — nobles in silken doublets, priests in 
long black robes, soldiers in glittering armor, mechanics, 
and serving men. He took also two hundred and twenty- 
three horses, a large number of bloodhounds, and a drove 
of hogs. It was a beautiful day in May when they landed 
on the western coast of Florida. They sent the ships 

EXP. & F. — 4 



50 FERDINAND DE SOTO 

back to Cuba, where De Soto's wife was left as governor, 
and began their march inland. They were surprised to 
find the Indians very unfriendly from the first. They 
soon learned, however, that Narvaez had landed at this 
place some years before, and his cruel treatment of the 
natives had not been forgotten. 

The day after landing, the Spaniards captured a pris- 
oner who was dressed like the Indians and was, to all 
appearances, a savage, but who surprised them by speaking 
fluently in Spanish ! This man proved to be Ortiz, a 
Spaniard who had been with Narvaez and was a friend of 
Cabeza de Vaca. He had been captured by the Indians 
and had lived with them for ten years. He joined De 
Soto's party and became their guide and interpreter. 

The explorers marched northeast into the present state 
of Georgia. It was a very difficult undertaking. The 
forests were full of underbrush*; swamps were numerous 
and almost impassable ; some streams were too deep to 
ford, and bridges had to be made across them. Mile after 
mile, month after month, they pressed forward, seeking the 
treasures which the Indians always said were to be found 
farther ahead. They had to be constantly on their guard, 
for the Indians hid behind trees and with bows and ar- 
rows shot down any of the company when they could. 
The Spaniards found no gold and no splendid cities. 
But no one felt like giving up the undertaking, for surely, 
they thought, the gilded chief would soon be found. Very 
early in their march they took captive what Indians they 
needed to carry their luggage, so that the Spainards could 
save their strength for greater work. 

After months of toil the explorers reached the Savan- 



DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI 



51 



nah River, probably fifty miles from its mouth. There, in 
what is now the state of South Carolina, they found a 
village of Indians more civilized than any met before this. 
Their ruler was a young Indian princess who received De 
Soto very graciously. She put to his use half of the 
houses of her village, and presented to him a pearl neck- 




De Soto meets the Indian princess. 

lace of great value. The Spaniards stayed there for many 
days and enjoyed the rest and hospitality of the place. 
Then the zeal to find pearls led them to search all through 
the town and even to open Indian graves. They found 
many pearls, but at the same time they offended many 
Indians. 

Westward now the Spaniards went across the present 
state of Georgia, then turning southwest entered Alabama. 



52 



FERDINAND DE SOTO 



They met many savage tribes and endured great hard- 
shijis. The men found their armor too heavy to walk in, 
and ah'eady many of their horses were dead. They also 
suffered from mosquitoes and malaria. 

They had been two years on the march when they came 
into the country of a Choctaw Indian chief called Tusca- 
loosa, or Black Warrior. Tuscaloosa's town, Mauvila, was 



Supposed Route of De Sotoi 

Winter Quarters^ 




Map showing De Soto's route. 

surrounded by a high palisade, with only two small entrances 
at opposite ends. This palisade was chinked and plastered 
with mud so that it formed a solid wall, save for small 
slits for those within to shoot through. One hundred of 
the Spanish horsemen riding ahead of the main party 
reached Mauvila and, they claimed, were attacked suddenly 
by the Indians. As the town was full of women and 



DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI 53 

children, it is likely that they were attacked while they 
were trying to force their way within the walls. This led 
to a fierce battle in which the Spaniards lost many horses 
and men, but they succeeded in setting fire to the Indian 
houses. The fire spread until the whole town was burned, 
and Tuscaloosa and all his tribe were killed. 

This place was located a little north of the present city 
of Mobile, which derives its name from Mauvila. So many 
of De Soto's men were wounded that he had to remain in 
that desolate place three weeks. Then he turned back 
to the northwest, passing through the present state of 
Mississippi. He came in time to a deserted Chickasaw 
village, where his men found food and shelter and 
settled down for the winter. 

At this place the men did little but hunt rabbits and 
capture stray Indians, from whom they hoped to learn 
where gold was to be found. All was going well — the 
horses were getting fat and the men rested — when one 
windy night in January the war whoop was heard. The 
men sprang from their beds only to discover the roofs of 
their houses bursting into a blaze. The savages had shot 
into the thatched roofs arrows tipped with burning 
wisps of straw. The Spaniards sprang to their arms and 
let loose their bloodhounds. The fight was short, for the 
Indians suddenly fled. Many of their number were killed, 
but the loss of the Spaniards was forty men and fifty 
horses. Their provisions, clothes, and cabins were de- 
stroyed and almost their whole herd of hogs were burned. 
Here in midwinter we find De Soto and his men without 
shelter, obliged to repair their arms and make clothing of 
skins and straw mats. They worked busily the rest of 



54 



FERDIXAXD DE SOTO 



the winter in open camp, and the Indians did not again attack 
them. 

With the first days of spring they once more plunged 
into the wilderness. The men would have been glad after 
these disasters to go home, but De Soto was determined 
to renew his efforts to find gold. A few weeks later they 
had another encounter with the Indians, a great force of 
whom lay in wait for them on their line of march. All 
these fierce attacks of the Indians were probably due to 



1 


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id 


t 


m 


~^B 


WW£^^ 


iffi 


i 1 


1 


gj 




i 


m 



De Soto discovers the Mississippi. 

the cruelty early shown by De Soto, the news of which 
spread far. Within a year after De Soto landed in Florida 
there was probably not an Indian tribe south of the Ohio 
that was not ready to fight the Spaniards. 

A few days after this last encounter De Soto and his 
men came to a river so wide that " if a man stood still on 
the other side, it could not be determined whether he were 
a man or not." This must be the "Father of Waters" 



DISCOVERY OF THF MISSISSIPPI 55 

they had heard the Indians mention. We know it to-day 
as the Mississippi. De Soto wanted to cross, but his men 
had to cut down trees and build boats first. In three 
weeks four boats were ready. The crossing was begun 
some hours before daylight so as to avoid possible attacks 
from Indians as they were leaving shore. 

They landed in Arkansas, and marched on for weeks 
without finding any cities of great riches. Then being in 
need of supplies they turned southward, crossed Arkansas 
and part of Louisiana, and came again to the great river. 
De Soto planned to build some larger boats and sail down- 
stream to the Gulf and go to Cuba for supplies and more 
men. He would then return and plant a colony on the 
river and hold all the country in the name of the king of 
Spain. 

Throughout the journey De Soto had led almost a 
charmed Hfe, escaping injury in many battles ; but now 
by the time he reached the river he had fallen ill. Hard- 
ships, exposure, and malaria had all weakened him so that 
his system gave way to a severe fever. He fought like a 
giant to throw off the sickness and to do his allotted tasks 
each day, but he found his sickness was stronger than his 
will. When he realized that he could not live, he called 
his men together and had them select a leader. Their 
choice fell upon a man pleasing to De Soto, his lieutenant 
from the first. Soon the great leader died. His men 
feared that the Indians might find his grave and learn that 
De Soto was dead, so they planned to hide the body. 
They made a coffin from the hollowed trunk of an old oak 
tree. After placing De Soto's body in it they weighted it 
down with sand and in the dead of night silently sailed out 



56 FERDINAND DE SOTO 

into midstream and lowered it into the water. Surely no 
man had a nobler monument or a more enduring tomb. 

It was four years since the brilliant De Soto had set 
forth from Spain with such fair promise. His followers, 
sadly diminished in numbers, were glad to give up the 
search for gold. They built rude boats and floated down 
the Mississippi to its mouth. Then, following the coast 
of the Gulf of Mexico, they made their way with difficulty 
to the Spanish settlements in Mexico. These men told 
the world of their experiences, and Spain claimed the 
land explored. De Soto's expedition, which had started 
with such high hope, failed to win wealth, but it helped to 
make known the extent of the New World. 

Topical Outline. — Dc Soto sailed to the New World when fifteen; 
was made military commander ; went witli Pizarro to Peru and ^ot a 
million dollars ; returned to Spain ; in 1538 sailed for Cuba and Florida 
to find El Dorado ; landed in western Florida and began a long march ; 
passed through seven states and endured great hardships. De Soto 
discovered the Mississippi River, but no rich cities nor El Dorado. By 
his work Spain claimed all the land drained by the Mississippi River. 

For Written Work. — I. Write an account of the attack on Mauvila. 
II. Give an account of the difficulties on the march. III. Describe 
De Soto's burial at night. 

Map Work. — Note the states crossed by De Soto and the route of 
the escape of De Soto's men. 



BALBOA— DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC 

Among a company of adventurers sailing for the New 
World in 1501 was a young man by the name of Balboa. 
He settled in Hispaniola (Haiti) and became a farmer. 
He probably did not know much about work, and cared 
less to do it, and soon found himself deeply in debt. Laws 
against debtors in those days were very severe. Debtors 
were kept in prison, required to work as slaves, and some- 
times were even put to death. Balboa wanted to get away 
from Hispaniola to escape these penalties. But guards 
were set to watch all departing ships to see that no debtors 
left the island. 

In 1 5 10, when a vessel was to sail from Hispaniola 
with supplies for a colony in South America, Balboa saw 
a chance to escape. He got into a cask, had the head of 
the cask fastened on the inside, and was hauled from his 
farm to the vessel. People supposed that the cask con- 
tained provisions. After the ship was well away from land, 
imagine the surprise of those on board to see a man crawl 
out of that cask ! At first the captain was angry, then he 
saw how funny it was. He began to admire the pluck of 
Balboa, and soon realized that this was no ordinary man. 
We are told that Balboa was a tall, well-knit young man 
with reddish hair and very bright eyes. He had the 
manner of a gentleman and soon won the friendship of all 
the officers on board. 

57 



58 



BAI.BOA 




Balboa crawls out of the cask. 



When the supply ship reached its destination, the 
men found most of the colony destroyed. It was decided 
to abandon the place, so they took on board the survivors 
and were about to sail away. But where should they go .-' 
Balboa came forward and described a place he had once 
visited, called Darien. His account sounded so attractive 
that the commander decided to go there. 

In a few days they reached Darien and took possession 
of the village and with it got a large quantity of food, be- 
sides gold ornaments to the value of fifty thousand dollars. 
Balboa was in high favor because this good luck had come 
as a result of his suggestion. Shortly afterwards he was 
selected as one of the rulers of the settlement. 



DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC 59 

Balboa showed ability in winning the confidence of the 
Indian chiefs. One after another became his ally. Those 
who opposed him were conquered and their villages were 
plundered for gold. The natives soon discovered that the 
Spaniards wanted gold, and they took delight in telling of the 
wonderful cities of gold belonging to other tribes of Indians, 
Over the mountain, they said, was a temple whose interior 
was all gold. In another direction there were small rivers 
across which the people stretched nets and caught gold 
nuggets as they came downstream. Expeditions set out 
in these directions, but found none of the wonderful places. 
But the Indians had often told Balboa of a vast ocean be- 
yond the mountains. It seemed to him a greater thing to 
find this water than to find gold, so he decided to make 
the effort. 

It was a difficult undertaking. The forests were dense, 
the mountains rocky, and there were many unfriendly 
Indian tribes to be met. Balboa was a daring man and a 
good leader. On September 1,1513, with one hundred and 
ninety men, several bloodhounds, and a few Indian guides, 
Balboa started for the mountains. The heat was intense. 
There were no roads, and the men had to cUmb up and 
down rocky cliffs and wade through marshes and tangled 
vegetation, at the same time dragging or carrying their sup- 
plies and guns. 

On the third day out an Indian chief showed Balboa a 
high mountain in the distance, from the top of which he 
said the ocean could be seen. The next four days they 
traveled only thirty miles, but that was far enough to bring 
them into the territory of a chief who was a deadly enemy 
of Balboa's snides. When the chief saw their small num- 



6o BALBOA 

bers, he attacked them, but his Indians fled in terror at 
the first discharge of the Spaniards' guns, and their village 
was left to the possession of Balboa and his men. It con- 
tained a large quantity of gold and jewels, besides fresh 
food supplies. 

As this village lay at the foot of the last mountain to be 
climbed, Balboa left there a large number of men with 
the sick and wounded, while he and sixty-seven others 
went on up the mountain. They started at daybreak and 
in the cool of the morning hours climbed to the top. 
About ten o'clock they came out from the forest and found 
only a slight- ridge ahead of them. The guides said the 
water could be seen from the top of this. Balboa asked 
his men to wait below while he alone went to the top. 
When the brow of the hill was reached, a wonderful vision 
was before him. Just beyond a green strip at the foot of 
the mountain lay glittering in the sunlight a vast ocean 
never before seen by a European. Balboa called his men, 
planted a cross, and in the name of the king of Spain 
formally took possession of the ocean and all lands washed 
by it. This occurred September 26, 15 13. 

After sending for the members of their company left at 
the Indian village, they went down the western slope to 
the water. Two days later Balboa took a canoe and pushed 
out to sea, while his companions stood on the shore and 
watched him. He was the first European to ride on the 
waters of the Pacific Ocean. 

After returning to the shore, he took a banner showing 
the royal arms of Spain, and waded knee deep into the 
water. He drew his sword and struck the water, solemnly 
declaring the ocean, with all its islands and all lands 



DISCOVERY OF THP: PACIFIC 



6i 




Balboa takes possession of the Pacific. 



washed by it, to be the property of the king of Spain so 
long as the world endured. 

Balboa and his men spent a month exploring the coast 
in the vicinity, and then returned to Darien. The report 
brought back, together with many thousand dollars' worth 
of gold and pearls, produced great excitement. A ship 
was sent to tell the king of Spain of the success of the 
expedition and to carry him one fifth of the gold. Balboa 



62 BALBOA 

was for a while considered a great man, but his success 
and popularity made some people jealous. 

From the day that Balboa left the newly found ocean 
he had dreamed of exploring its shores farther to the south, 
where the Indians said were rich cities. In the course 
of a few months he made ready to leave Darien to carry 
out this wish. Since there were no ships on the Pacific 
coast, nor any means of building them there, Balboa decided 
to cut the timbers and shape them in the shij:)yard at 
Darien and then to carry the parts over the mountains and 
put them together on the other side. In this way two fine 
ships were made on the Pacific coast and were almost ready 
to sail to the south when Balboa found that he must have 
more pitch and more iron before it would be safe to go far 
from land. So he returned to Darien to get these supplies. 

When he reached there, he found that his enemies had 
been circulating false reports about him. Some claimed 
that he had exceeded his orders and that he was guilty of 
treason because he had gone ahead and done things with- 
out the authority of his superiors. After a brief examina- 
tion he was sentenced to death. He declared his innocence 
of the charge of treason, but nothing could save him. So 
perished one of the few Spaniards who believed that 
geographical discovery is better than gold. 

Topical Outline. — Balboa sailed to the New World in 1501 ; lived in 
Hispaniola and got badly in debt ; escaped in a supply ship to Darien, 
where he rose in favor and became a ruler. The Indians told liim of 
a great ocean to the west. He crossed the mountains and discovered 
the Pacific Ocean. His death. 

For Written Work. — Balboa's experience in crossing the Isthmus 
of Panama. 



CORTEZ — THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO 

Hernando Cortez was a little boy seven years old when 
Columbus started on his first voyage. It is possible that 
his earliest recollections were of tales of adventure and 
exploration. His father belonged to the aristocratic class 
in society and had many friends among those interested in 
these voyages to the New World. Cortez was a handsome 
boy, fairer in complexion than most Spaniards, and had 
large brown eyes. His manners, we are told, were those of 
a little prince. His father wished to make him a lawyer. 
At the age of fourteen he was sent away to school, but 
after two years he came home with little knowledge of 
law. For two years after this he seems to have passed 
his days in idleness. He was gay and companionable and 
had many friends among the explorers and adventurers. 

At eighteen he received an appointment in the army and 
gained some slight experience in military matters. Then 
fresh reports of successful voyages to the New World 
reached Spain. Young Cortez believed that gold as well 
as glory could be gained in the New World by courageous 
young men. He knew then that he had always intended 
to follow just such a life. 

In 1504, at the age of nineteen, Cortez sailed under 
Ouintero for Hispaniola with letters to the governor. He 
was well received and was given a large grant of land with 
enough native slaves to cultivate it. But Cortez was only 

63 



64 CORTEZ 

a boy. He did not enjoy being a farmer, but he kept the 
land for the income it brought him. He offered his 
services in the governor's army, and was several times 
engaged in putting down uprisings of the natives. He 
was restless, and when a company was sent out in 151 1 to 
conquer Cuba he was ready to go. He did brilliant work 
as a soldier, and was given an office in Cuba's new 
government. 

When the reports of Balboa's splendid discovery and of 
the gold and pearls of Darien reached Cuba, the Spaniards 
there became at once eager to explore further those lands 
to the west. An expedition was sent out in 15 17 that 
visited Yucatan. They found houses built of stone and 
many indications of a more advanced civilization than that 
on the islands. When a second expedition returned from 
Yucatan, the people in Cuba were wild with excitement ; 
they believed that the kingdom of Kublai Khan had at last 
been found. A still larger expedition was then prepared 
with Cortez, then thirty-three years of age, in command. 
A better man for the work could not have been found. 
He was daring, planned well, and was very prompt. 

Cortez started on the 19th of February, 15 19. He had 
eleven ships, carrying seven hundred Spaniards, two hun- 
dred Indians, sixteen horses, and fourteen cannon. His 
banner was of black velvet, with a great cross embroidered 
in red, and the mottoes, "Friends, let us follow the cross." 
and, " If we have faith, we will conquer." 

We will leave Cortez and his men on the sea going to 
Mexico, while we go on ahead and learn something of the 
people and country he will find. In Mexico at that time 
were many tribes of natives, but only the Aztecs are of 



CONQUEST OF MEXICO 



65 



interest to us now. Their ruler was called Montezuma. 
His seat of government was on the site of the present 
capital of Mexico. Under the dominion of Montezuma 
were some towns absolutely subject to him, while other 
towns had more or less self-government, but paid him 
tribute. 

The climate and vege- 
tation varied. Some 
places were dry and bar- 
ren, others had a most 
luxuriant growth of 
shrubs, flowers, and 
trees. The Aztecs, unlike 
the Indians of the north, 
carried on agriculture ; 
but they knew nothing 
of horses. They had 
made great progress in 
spinning and weavini^ 
cotton, and they worked 
in metals. They under- 
stood the process of com- 
bining tin and copper to 
make hard bronze tools, 
but they did not use 
iron, although there was an abundance of it in the mines. 
Their work in gold and silver was very fine. The Spanish 
goldsmiths admitted that this work of the Aztecs was bet- 
ter than they could do. The Aztecs understood the cutting 
of precious stones, but the most ingenious was their work 
in feathers. Many birds of beautiful plumage were found 

EX I'. & K. — 5 




Aztec ruins. 



66 CORTEZ 

in the country. The Aztecs wove the feathers into gauzy 
fabrics for dresses and into heavy curtains and all sorts of 
ornaments. 

The Aztecs had no alphabet or method of writing save 
by the use of rude pictures. In this respect they were no 
more advanced than the Indians of the north. They had 
no commerce, and for this reason are regarded by some 
as only half civilized, or indeed barbarians. The most curi- 
ous thing about the Aztecs was their religion. They wor- 
shiped many gods, chief of whom were the dark god and 
the fair god. Their gods demanded very rich gifts and 
many human sacrifices. The principal reason for carrying 
on war was to get victims to kill on the altars in their tem- 
ples. The dark god and the fair god were opposed to 
each other as day is to night ; and after many furious 
battles, the Aztecs believed the god of darkness had 
driven the sun god out of the sky. He was not even 
allowed to stay on the land ; so with his companions he 
had gone off toward the west. Some said he sailed away, 
others said that he was burned and then ascended to the sky 
and became a morning star. In any case it was prophesied 
that he would return some day, coming from the east. 

Cortez and his Spaniards first landed on an island 
northeast of Yucatan. The largest building was the 
temple. Cortez and a few of his men marched up to it, 
and seeing some hideous-looking idols they knocked them 
down, and the priest set up an altar in their place. The 
natives were horrified, and expected their gods to strike 
the strangers with thunderbolts. When they saw that 
nothing serious happened, and that their idols were un- 
able to rise and strike in self-defense, the natives accepted 



CONQUEST OF MEXICO dj 

readily the religion of the Spaniards. Cortez was de- 
lighted. After getting fresh supplies of food he sailed 
away around the coast of Yucatan, stopping occasionally, 
until he came to the site of Vera Cruz, where he landed. 
Without delay men were ordered to cut down trees to build 
shelter. 

While this work was going on, Cortez received the 
natives, who came flocking up from all directions. He was 
surprised to see their friendliness, for they brought fruits, 
flowers, and gold ornaments. Some of them bowed in wor- 
ship before him, for they really believed their sun god had 
returned. This landing place was in Montezuma's do- 
minions, about two hundred miles from his palace. Runners 
reached him in a very short time not only with the story 
of the coming of strangers, but with pictures of the men 
and their wonderful boats, and of the terrible monsters 
which they afterwards came to know as horses. Monte- 
zuma was alarmed. His counselors were divided. Some 
thought the sun god had returned. He was to come from 
the east, and of course then must come by water. Others 
feared the strangers might not be gods, but men from 
another Montezuma in another country. They sent back 
the message to Cortez that he had better not try to 
come to Montezuma's hall because the way was difficult 
and dangerous. 

Poor Montezuma made a sad mistake when he sent 
valuable presents with this message. Among them, we 
are told, was a large amount of fine cotton goods, several 
cloaks of the curious feather work, a helmet filled with 
gold, and two round plates of gold "as big as cart wheels." 
Cortez received these with delight and sent back to 



68 CORTEZ 

Montezuma a carved arm chair, a crimson cap, some 
bracelets, and ornaments of cut glass. Before the mes- 
sengers were allowed to depart, the horses were brought 
out and were pranced around in lively manner. Then the 
cannon were fired and the ships in the harbor were shown 
off. The bright armor of the Spaniards answered well 
the description of the appearance of the sun god. When 
this was reported to Montezuma, he sent another present 
and positively commanded Cortez not to come nearer but 
to go away as quickly as possible. 

These affairs had lasted several weeks, during which 
some discontented Spaniards wanted to return to Cuba ; 
but Cortez was determined to march on Mexico city. He 
had no authority to compel the men to follow him, but to 
prevent their return to Cuba he destroyed his ships. The 
march began. The way led over low, marshy land, 
across hot, sandy plains, then up steep mountains swept 
by cold winds and blizzards of snow. 

In some places the natives fled in terror. In other 
parts they came and worshiped the white men, bringing 
offerings of gold and even human victims to be slain as a 
sacrifice to them as to their gods. Now and then a tribe 
was warlike and resisted the advance of the Spaniards. 
On one occasion the natives drew up in battle array and 
with insane fury attacked the horsemen. We must re- 
member that they had probably never before seen a horse, 
and they supposed that the horse and the rider were one 
— a curious kind of animal. They succeeded in killing 
one horse and went wild with delight when they found it 
was possible. The Spanish fire-arms gave Cortez and his 
men a great advantage, and after one day of fighting the 



CONQUEST OF MEXICO 



69 



natives held a council of war. The wise men decided 
that these strangers must be the children of the sun. 
While the sun shone they could not be defeated ; in the 
darkness they would be powerless, so they decided to 
attack them by night. Cortez was on the watch, and before 
the natives could make an attack the Spaniards had ad- 
vanced and scattered them in all directions. This, of course, 
proved to the poor natives that the visitors were not even 
ordinary gods, and peace resulted. They eagerly formed 
an alliance with Cortez, and hundreds of them entered his 
army to march on to Mexico city. 




cortez meets Montezuma. 



Montezuma was told of their approach. He had tried 
very hard to keep them away. It was a serious moment 



70 CORTEZ 

for him. He ordered the people of the city to remain in 
their houses. With an escort of soldiers he went out to 
meet Cortez, not to welcome him, for he feared these 
wonderful strangers. 

The capital city of Montezuma was located on an island 
in a lake. Several causeways of solid masonry connected 
it with the mainland. After greeting Montezuma, Cortez 
and his men marched straight over one of these bridges 
into the city. Montezuma took a fancy to the dauntless 
Spaniard, and gave him one of the greatest buildings in 
the city for the use of his men. Cortez took possession, 
planted his guns, and posted guards. The Spaniards then 
visited the places of interest. After a few days the 
inhabitants became familiar with the strangers, and the 
more they saw them, the less they considered them gods. 
Cortez saw that the situation might be serious if the 
people should suddenly attack him. He found an excuse 
and took Montezuma prisoner ; then he had his men 
collect the arms of the Aztecs and burn them. For six 
months things went very well. Cortez set up altars 
for Christian worship in the temples. He built boats, 
carried on some mining operations, and collected much 
gold. 

Cortez was then called to Vera Cruz and left his lieuten- 
ant in charge at Mexico city. While he was away some 
Spaniards foolishly attacked a company of Aztecs engaged 
in a sacred dance. The outraged people sprang to arms. 
Cortez returned just in time, and had the imprisoned 
Montezuma address the people, but they stoned him. The 
Spaniards could not hold the place, for the Aztecs were 
two hundred times as numerous. So Cortez fought his 



CONQUEST 0¥ MEXICO /I 

way out of the city ; but lost four hundred and fifty men 
killed, and more than half the horses. 

For several months Cortez traveled among the neigh- 
boring cities subject to the Aztec chief, and won their friend- 
ship and made them allies. He also received reenforcements 
from Vera Cruz. Then with a hundred thousand natives 
and over one thousand Spaniards, Cortez renewed his at- 
tempt to take the city. After a siege of three months and 
many days of hard fighting the Aztec war chief surrendered 
in person to Cortez. He was received in a friendly man- 
ner and entertained in a way suited to his rank. 

Cortez restored order and estabHshed a government for 
the city and the country round about. His fame spread 
far into South America. For several years Cortez pros- 
pered. But, as often happened, unfriendly reports were 
sent to the king of Spain ; and Cortez went to Spain to de- 
fend himself. He had conquered a vast empire for the king 
and had brought him enormous wealth ; but in spite of all, 
the king's displeasure was shown. Cortez was keenly hurt 
over the treatment, and retired into seclusion, where he died. 

The Spanish governed Mexico until the nineteenth 
century. The people became Christians. The language 
of Mexico is Spanish, and there is little left to-day of the 
Aztec civilization. 

Topical Outline. — Cortez sails for the New World when nineteen 
years old (1504) : leads an expedition to Yucatan, looking for the 
cities of Kublai Khan ; enters Mexico and meets the Aztecs. The 
Aztec civilization, and the " fair god." Montezuma sends presents. 
Cortez goes to Mexico city. Great territory and much gold taken. 

For Written Work. — I. Write a paragraph giving reasons for the 
success of Cortez. II. Tell why the Aztecs thought that Cortez was 
their " fair {rod." 



PIZARRO AND THE CONQUEST OF PERU 

On the Pacific coast, you remember, Balboa heard that 
rich countries lay to the south ; and he had planned an 
expedition down this coast when he was killed. Among 
Balboa's followers who knew his plans was a man by the 
name of Francisco Pizarro. He was of Spanish birth but 
without education. 

After the death of Balboa, Pizarro was for a few years 
a cattle farmer in Panama. But during this time he never 
forgot Balboa's belief that riches could be had farther south. 
Day and night this cattle farmer dreamed and planned. 
He talked the matter over with two men — Almagro, a 
laborer, and De Luque, a priest and teacher. Finally a 
partnership was formed with them. Pizarro should be 
commander and leader ; Almagro should get men to enlist 
and secure supplies ; De Luque should raise the money 
necessary. 

People at Panama ridiculed the plan. Cortez had hun- 
dreds of followers when he swept Mexico with such 
brilliant success, and nothing less dashing would for a 
moment meet the popular favor. Few men could be found 
willing to go. But Pizarro was strong of heart, and in 
November, 1524, just five years after Cortez entered 
Mexico, he left Panama with eighty men and four horses. 
For many weeks their ship crept down the coast, landing 

^^ 



CONQUEST OF PERU 



n 



occasionally, without anything of value being found. The 
adventurers heard news of a rich kingdom farther south, 
but their supplies gave out and they were obliged to return 
to Panama. On a second expedition, Pizarro went farther, 
till supplies were again low. Some of the men lost courage 
and returned to Panama. Pizarro and sixteen men took 
shelter on an island and waited seven months for reen- 
forcements and supplies to be sent by Almagro. 

It was not long after they resumed their journey that 
success came to them. They landed in the northern part 




Llamas, in Peru. 



of Peru and entered a rich city. They found a temple 
whose walls were lined with plates of gold. One of the 
palaces was supplied entirely with gold dishes, besides 
many ornaments of gold. The people were friendly. But 
Pizarro knew that they would not be friendly long if he 
took what he had come for. He knew also that with his 
small band of men he could do nothing by force. So he 



74 rizARRO 

told his men to make friends with the natives, learn their 
ways, their manner of life, their language, their religion, 
what they thought of their visitors, and also their methods 
of warfare and how the city could best be attacked. When 
this friendly visit of inspection was finished, Pizarro re- 
turned to Panama for troops to conquer the country. He 
carried back with him some llamas, some beautifully made 
gold and silver vases, and two young natives to be taught 
Spanish so they could act as interpreters. 

While troops were being raised at Panama, Pizarro went 
to Spain, The king showed him great favor and made 
him governor of all lands conquered by him. Honors 
were heaped upon him by people of high rank. In 
1530. with his four brothers and some enthusiastic fol- 
lowers, he returned to Panama, and soon afterwards started 
for Peru. He had less than two hundred men and fifty 
horses, but a little later he was joined by about one hun- 
dred more men and more horses. 

On landing in Peru, Pizarro selected a favorable site 
on the coast and built a fortress. Leaving there a small 
garrison, he started on a twelve days' journey eastward 
over the mountains to the camp of the Peruvian monarch, 
called the Inca, who had been victorious in a recent civil 
war. 

Strange messages reached the Inca. Couriers hurried 
to tell him that white and bearded strangers most curiously 
clad came up out of the sea. The horses were unearthly 
monsters to them as to the Aztecs in Mexico, and the fire- 
arms were thunderbolts. The Inca decided it was best to 
make friends of these mysterious strangers, and he sent 
presents to them and bade them welcome. 



CONQUEST OF PERU 75 

The march over the Andes was most difficult. The 
Spaniards struggled through narrow, rocky passes in bitter 
cold winds; in many places they were obhged to lead 
their horses. The end of the journey was welcome. But 
a chill of fear seized most of the Spaniards when they dis- 
covered that they were approaching the camp of a victo- 
rious army of fifty thousand goldiers. 

Pizarro and our friend De Soto (who afterwards dis- 
covered the Mississippi), with an escort of thirty five horse- 
men, rode on ahead to greet the Inca. They were received 
with splendid ceremony, and the Inca accepted Pizarro's 
invitation to a conference the next morning. The Inca 
and his men had betrayed a superstitious fear of the 
Spaniards, so Pizarro knew his success depended on taking 
advantage of this by acting quickly. 

Early the next morning everything was made ready. 
Mass was said, and the men waited in hiding for the Inca to 
come. It was nearly sunset when he arrived, seated on a 
throne of gold, carried on high by men of noble rank. 
Soldiers and attendants surrounded him. As they entered 
the village where the Spaniards were staying, they saw 
Pizarro waiting in full armor to receive them. Soon a priest 
came forward and read through an interpreter the doctrines 
and history of the Church. Following this, he read that 
the Pope had given the kingdom of the Incas to the Most 
Catholic King of Spain. In conclusion the priest ordered 
the Inca, under penalty of fire and sword, to accept this 
religion and to pay tribute to the king of Spain. During 
this reading the Inca's followers pressed closer and closer 
to their leader. When a Bible was handed to the Inca, he 
threw it on the srround. 



7^ 



PIZARRO 



Pizarro saw the moment was ready, and gave the signal. 
A gun was fired. The war cry "St. lago " (Santiago) 
rang out, and the Spanish soldiers and horsemen dashed 
among the Peruvians. The Inca was seized and his attend- 
ants were killed. The remainder of the Inca's army, panic- 
stricken, fled. Pizarro's success was complete. With 
less than two hundred men he had put to flight an army of 




The Spaniards attack the Inca's escort. 

fifty thousand. He was in possession of the field, with the 
Inca his prisoner. The superstitious natives thought the 
Spaniards must be superhuman, and, paralyzed with fear, 
they kept at a distance. 

Pizarro treated the Inca as a prisoner of rank, but let 
him know that lie could gain his freedom only by paying a 



CONQUEST OF PERU 77 

large sum of gold. The room in which the Inca was kept 
was twenty-two feet long and seventeen feet wide. A line 
was drawn on the wall nine feet from the floor, and the 
Inca promised gold enough to fill the room even with that 
line. A smaller room was also to be twice filled with silver. 
This enormous quantity of precious metal was to be col- 
lected in two months. The offer was readily accepted, and 
the Inca was to be free as soon as the treasure came. 
Temples and palaces were stripped of their gold and silver 
ornaments. Every day natives came heavily laden with 
golden dishes, statues, and sheets of gold that had lined 
the walls of temples. 

While waiting for the collection of the ransom, Pizarro 
with twenty horsemen journeyed to a famous temple, de- 
stroyed the images, threw out a great wooden idol, and 
seized a large amount of treasure. The natives did not 
raise a hand against the Spaniards. This seems strange 
to us. But they believed that no one but their consecrated 
priests could enter the shrine without instant death. When 
the Spaniards did not drop dead, the natives thought they 
certainly were gods. This notion was strengthened be- 
cause crosses were set up and the worship of the Catholic 
Church was at once conducted. 

And now at length the Inca's rooms were filled with the 
ransom. It is estimated that the gold alone was worth from 
fifteen to twenty million dollars of our money. Pizarro 
accepted the treasure, but he did not let the Inca go. The 
Spaniards made excuses day after day to* keep him longer. 
Finally they charged the Inca with sending out messages 
to his people asking them to rise and fight the Spaniards 
for his freedom. He v/as tried by Pizarro and his generals, 



78 



PIZARRO 



found guilty, and sentenced to death by burning at the 
stake. 

The poor Inca, weeping like a child, begged for his life. 
Two hours after sunset he was led forth and baptized. 
The Spaniards did not think they had the right to burn a 
Christian, so the Inca was hanged. The next morning he 
was buried with the Christian burial service. We are glad 
to know that De Soto was away at this time and disap- 
proved of the execution. 

Pizarro and his men now marched south and took the 
holy city of Cuzco. They plundered the temples, the royal 
palaces, and even the tombs of the kings. Cuzco was a city 
of three hundred thousand people, the streets were well 
laid out, and many of the houses were built of stone. The 
inhabitants fled or surrendered, and the Spaniards placed 

their cannon on the 
fortress and prepared 
to enjoy the luxuries 
at hand. 

Meanwhile, Pizarro 
had sent one of his 
brothers to Spain to 
report his success and to send the king his share of the 
gold. The king was pleased, and raised Pizarro to the 
rank of marquis. 

Before long the" Spaniards in Peru laid out, near the 
coast, a new town that they called Lima. Other Spaniards 
came from Panama and Spain to make their homes in 
this rich land. Three years passed. Another Inca had 
been chosen. The natives had seen enough of the 
Spaniards to believe now that they were men, not gods. 




Spanish cannon. 



CONQUEST OF PERU 79 

The Indians had endured much, their homes had been 
taken, their temples robbed, and their Inca murdered. 
Silently the vast population in town and country made 
plans to drive the hated Spaniards out of the land. 

Multitudes gathered around Cuzco armed with axes and 
lances, wearing their quilted cotton doublets instead of 
armor. They surrounded the city and stealthily set fire to 
many buildings. For six days their fighting continued. 
The city was half burned, and many Spaniards were killed, 
but the slaughter of the natives was terrible. Their weap- 
ons were useful only in a personal engagement, while the 
cannon of the Spaniards could kill many even at a dis- 
tance. Finally the leader of the Peruvians jumped from 
one of the battlements and was killed, and the remaining 
men scattered. The Spanish were again victorious and in 
full possession of the whole country. 

Pizarro began building roads, and introduced grain and 
vegetables from Europe for cultivation. Rich mines of 
silver and gold were worked. Thousands of Spaniards 
came there to live, and in ten or twelve years Peru was an 
important Spanish colony. Pizarro lost influence after 
younger Spaniards came to Peru, and as he grew older, 
he found he really had no friends. He had always been 
very stern with his companions and friends, and most cruel 
to his inferiors and enemies. His skill and treachery had 
won for Spain another empire, but they had won no friends 
for himself. One day in 1541, some Spaniards who had 
been injured by Pizarro surrounded his house in Lima and 
killed the old man. 

From Peru, expeditions were sent out to other parts of 
South America, and by the end of the sixteenth century, 



8o 



PIZARRO 



the Spaniards held nearly all the land, save Brazil, which 
was occupied by the Portuguese. 

Topical Outline. — Pizarro, a Spaniard who had been with Balboa, 
heard of rich cities south of Panama. He started for Peru in 1524, 
found rich cities, and reported to the king of Spain. The king made 
him governor, and he raised soldiers to conquer Peru. He captured 
the Inca, got a large ransom, and then put the Inca to death. Spain 
soon had possession of nearly all of South America. Pizarro's enemies 
killed him when he was an old man. 

For Written Work. — Write a paragraph giving your opinion ot 
Pizarro's treatment of the Inca. 




\.»' 



•i!j.;.,i;,;.:^:,;;V\'i 



Spanish coat of arms. 



MAGELLAN — CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE 
GLOBE 

When Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean in 15 13, men 
began to see that the New World was a continent lying 
between Europe and eastern Asia. As yet no one had 
actually found Asia by sailing west. The mystery of the 
question was very attractive. But hunting for gold 
occupied the attention of explorers. The search for a new 
route to the Indies 
was again taken up 
in 1 5 19 by a man 
named Magellan. 

Ferdinand Magel- 
lan was born in the 
hill region of Portu- 
gal in 1480. As a 
young boy he be- 
came a page in the 
royal household at 
Lisbon ; then he 
entered the Portu- 
guese army and served in northern Africa and later for 
seven years in India. While in India he came to know 
the European merchants who did business there, and 
learned the great value of the trade with the East Indies. 
The desire to find the western route seized him as it had 
years before seized Columbus. He went to the king of 
Portugal and asked permission to make an effort to find 

EXP & K. — 6 81 




The Victoria, one of Magellan's ships. 



82 



MAGELLAN 



such a route. The king refused. Magellan was so sure 
that he could reach the East Indies by sailing west that 
he did just what Columbus had done some years before ; 
he left Portugal and offered his services to the king of 
Spain. The king of Spain must have been well pleased, 
for he readily granted Magellan's request. 




Magellan trading with the natives. 

This was a time when the Spanish shipyards were the 
busiest places in the country. Men worked early and late 
to fit out vessels for the many men starting out to see the 
wonders and to get the riches of the New World. Magellan 
did not succeed in getting new ships, but five old ones 
were put to his use. Supplies were collected to last for 
two years. It is said he took twenty thousand little brass 
bells and five hundred pounds of glass beads to exchange 
for spices in the East Indies. 



CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE GLOBE S;^ 

On the twentieth day of September, 15 19, Magellan, with 
five ships and two hundred and eighty men, left Spain, and 
two months later they reached the coast of Brazil. They 
followed the coast south, and in January reached the mouth 
of the Plata River, which they thought was a strait leading 
to the ocean discovered by Balboa. They sailed up the 
stream and soon discovered that the water was fresher the 
farther they went. Magellan then knew that it was a 
river, so he went back to the coast. 

At every stopping place the natives flocked around the 
Spaniards and eagerly took glass beads and little bells in 
exchange for sweet potatoes and fruit. 

On reaching the Atlantic, Magellan continued his course 
south, keeping as close to the shore as possible. We 
must remember that the Antarctic winter is at the time of 
our summer. Every day's sail brought them into more 
severe weather. Finally, the last day of March, 1520, 
they anchored for the winter in a sheltered bay called 
Port St. Julian. Food was getting scarce, and little could 
now be bought from the natives. The sailors had never 
seen such weather, and their hardships were so great that 
many wanted to return to Spain. 

The prospect of waiting for a long, severe winter to 
pass was unendurable to most of them. The men blamed 
Magellan for their distress ; they honestly believed that no 
passage to the west was to be found. They feared that 
they would perish from starvation or from cold. Magellan 
was stout-hearted. He believed that they had gone too 
far and endured too much already to give up the undertak- 
ing. He punished the rebellious sailors ; he cheered up 
the discouraged, and promised rewards to the faithful. 



84 MAGELLAN 

With the first signs of spring, late in August, they 
again started on their way. They made little progress for 
weeks because of the storms. But one October day they 
came to a break in the coast. On both sides there were 
high mountains. Sometimes the channel was narrow 
and deep ; then it would become broader, with many is- 
lands. Each day the sailors reported that the water was 
salt. This was good news to Magellan, and he felt sure 
this was a strait that led to the great ocean on the west. 
It took five weeks to pass through that strait, which to day 
we call the Strait of Magellan. 

It is said that when they passed out into the ocean 
Magellan was so glad that " for joy the tears fell from his 
eyes." The water seemed so calm, after the heavy storms 
on the Atlantic coast and in the strait, that Magellan named 
it the Pacific Ocean. One of his ships had been wrecked, 
and one deserted him in the strait, so that he now had 
only three. 

For weeks and months the three ships sailed on in a 
northwesterly direction, but no land was seen. No one 
had imagined that the earth was so large. Probably 
many of the men even gave up the notion that the earth 
was round, for they came to no lands. The fear of endless 
water ahead of them was terrible. They could not go 
back, for that would surely mean starvation. Food now 
was so low that they ate pieces of leather that served as 
rope coverings on the ship. This leather was very hard 
from exposure to sun and rain, so they tied it to ropes and 
let it float for three or four days in the water. This 
softened it so they could eat it. Nineteen men starved to 
death and twenty-five were very sick when finally in March 



CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE GLOBE 



is 



they reached a group of islands. The inhabitants of these 
islands brought them plenty of bananas, oranges, and 
cocoanuts, but they stole anything that took their fancy. 
For this reason the Spaniards called the islands the 
Ladrones, a Spanish word meaning " robbers." 

Ten days later Magellan reached a group of larger islands 
which we call to-day the Philippines. He made friends with 
the king of the island of Cebu, who promised that his people 




First voyage around the world 



would trade only with Spaniards. The king and his people 
also accepted the Christian religion and were baptized. 

Some neighboring islands owed allegiance to the king 
of Cebu, and when they were ordered to trade with the 
Spaniards and to accept the new religion, they refused. 
War followed, and Magellan was wounded and soon died. 
Only two ships out of the original five were now left, and 
less than half of the men. 

It was with heavy hearts that the Spaniards sailed away, 
for the king of Cebu had turned against them and would 
not give up Magellan's body. They sailed south to the 
Moluccas, where they took on board all the cloves they 
could stow away. They exchanged all the red cloth, bells. 



86 MAGELLAN 

and beads they had ; then the men bartered their jackets. 
The Victoria had on board twenty-six tons of cloves. 

The homeward journey was then begun. One ship 
started for Panama ; but the Victoria rounded the Cape of 
Good Hope and reached Spain. It was just three years 
since the fleet under Magellan had sailed away. The 
great voyage of the Victoria around the world proved not 
only that the earth was round, but also that the country 
discovered by Columbus was probably not a part of Asia, 
but altogether a separate continent. 

Topical Outline. — Magellan sailed in 1519 to find a water route to 
India; coasted along South America; spent a winter at Port St. 
Julian ; and in the spring passed through the Strait of Magellan to 
the Pacific Ocean. After a long voyage he reached the Ladrone Islands 
and then the Philippine Islands, where Magellan was killed. His ship, 
the Victoria, completed the voyage and reached Spain after an absence 
of three years. 

For Written Work. — I. As a sailor with Magellan write of the hard- 
ships of the voyage. II. Write a paragraph on what the voyage proved. 

Map Work. — Trace the route of Magellan, locating especially the 
Strait of Magellan and the Philippine Islands. 



JOHN AND SEBASTIAN CABOT 




John Cabot, like Columbus, was 
born in Genoa. He became a 
sailor and merchant in Venice, 
made trips to Arabia, and knew 
merchants engaged in caravan 
trade with India. About 1490, 
for some reason, he went to England and made his home in 
Bristol, a very great seaport. Ships from Bristol had made 
many trips to the Mediterranean, to Iceland, and to Norway. 
They had the reputation of sailing farther than the ships from 
any other northern port. John Cabot soon became known as 
the most daring of all the merchant captains of this famous 
port. 

The year before Columbus first sailed, Cabot had ships 

87 



88 THE CABOTS 

out on the Atlantic looking for an island that was supposed 
to lie southwest of Ireland. 

It is possible that Cabot met Columbus's brother, 
Bartholomew, when Bartholomew went to England to get 
help for the first voyage of Columbus. Whether this is so 
or not, Cabot early had the belief that India, China, and 
Japan could be reached by sailing west. The trade was 
worth the effort of finding the way. 

There was great excitement in Bristol when the news 
reached there that Columbus had really sailed across the 
Atlantic and had reached the Indies. Cabot was just the 
man to appreciate the value of the work of Columbus. 
He also wanted to discover a new route to the lands of the 
East. If Columbus had reached the Indies, he, by keeping 
to the north, might reach China and Japan. So straight- 
way he went to King Henry VII for permission. 

King Henry gladly gave him leave " to sail to the east, 
west, or north with five ships carrying the English flag, to 
seek and discover all the islands, countries, regions, or 
provinces of pagans in whatever part of the world." King 
Henry wished no wars with any countries, — he kept 
England in peaceful relations with all her neighbors, — so 
he warned Cabot not to sail to the south, for fear he might 
have trouble with Spain. 

Instead of getting the five ships promised, Cabot had 
to sail with only one. He had with him his son Sebastian, 
a boy of twenty, and a crew of eighteen men. The little 
ship was called the Matthew. They sailed early in May, 
1497, directly across the Atlantic. The sea was very 
rough, and it was six weeks before they reached the rocky 
coast of Labrador. Although it was the middle of June, 



THE CABOTS 



89 



the coast appeared barren. Cabot was probably disap- 
pointed, but he sailed south close to the shore for several 
hundred miles. He was amazed at the great numbers of 
fish he saw. He landed now and then and took possession 
of the country in the name of the king of England. We 
have no record of any trouble with the Indians, for Cabot 
stayed nowhere long. By the last of July the Matthew 
and all on board sailed into the harbor of Bristol. 

Cabot hastened to the king and reported that he had 
discovered the coast of China. 
He thought he had. But we 
know he had discovered North 
America instead. King Henry 
was pleased, and gave Cabot a 
present equal to fifty dollars of 
our money. He also allowed 
him a pension of one hundred 
dollars a year. This seems a 
small sum as a reward for the 
discovery of North America, but 
Henry thought it was generous 
and Cabot evidently was satis- 
fied. In those days money was 
scarcer than it is at present, so 
that men were glad to work for 
a few pennies a day. 

Cabot was now the hero of 
the hour. He dressed in silks 
and was called the Grand Admiral. Everybody wanted 
to see the famous man, and he was pointed out to the 
curious wherever he went. 




Cabot memorial at Bristol, 
England. 



90 THE C ABUTS 

The next spring the Cabots set out for a second voyage. 
This time they had five or six ships. They thought Japan, 
or Cipango, as they called it, could be reached by keeping 
their course toward the southwest. After reaching the 
continent they sailed southward for many hundred miles 
— almost to Florida. They entered the bays and scanned 
the shore, but could not see any cities. When they landed 
they saw no signs of the wealth of the Asiatic countries. 
They saw no cultivated fields, no orchards. Then probably 
dawned upon them the knowledge that this was not an old 
country, but one unknown to civilization. The Indians of 
the north did not have the riches that the Spanish found 
among the Indians of Mexico and South America. 

Just when the fleet returned to England we do not know. 
Little more is known about John Cabot ; but we hear much 
of the work of his son Sebastian, who made other voyages 
both to the northwest and to the northeast. Sebastian 
some years later went to Spain and sailed for South 
America. In 1518 he was appointed Pilot Major in Spain 
and was regarded as a famous geographer. 

The work of the Cabots gave England claim to a large 
part of North America, but it was many years before any 
other English ships sailed to explore the New World. 

Topical Outline. — John Cabot was born in Genoa; became a mer- 
chant in the Indian trade, and went to Bristol, England. When he 
heard that Columbus had found India by sailing west, he thought that 
he could find China and Japan by sailing northwest. He explored the 
coast from Labrador far southward. England later claimed the land 
because Cabot first visited it. 

Map Work. — Trace the route of Cabot from England to New- 
foundland (map, p. 37). 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE — ENGLAND'S GREAT 
ADMIRAL 

Of all the explorers in the New World during the six- 
teenth century there is not one whose life was more 
thrilHng than that of Francis Drake. He was born fifty 
years after Columbus and Cabot found the way to the 
western world. The first we hear of Drake was when a 
group of Protestants fled for their lives from one of the 
west counties of England. One man and woman had with 
them a blue-eyed, fair, curly-haired little boy just be- 
ginning to walk. This boy was Francis Drake. The 
Drake family found protection with a relative who was a 
shipowner of Plymouth, and for a time made their home 
on an island in Plymouth harbor. 

Francis's father was appointed as reader of prayers for 
the royal navy, and the family was given an old war ship 
to live in. On all sides could be heard the hammers of 
shipbuilders and the songs of the sailors. The most 
familiar sights were the water, the masts, the guns, and the 
towering hulks of old war ships. 

Those were days of bitter religious troubles. Men dif- 
fered widely on some questions, and when they differed 
there were often high words and much suffering. Francis 
and his playmates heard these questions talked so much 
that they played politics. P2ngland was unfriendly to Sj^ain. 
The boys played war with Spain. In snowball fights the 
fort to be attacked was always a Spanish fort. 

91 



92 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 

As a young boy, Francis was apprenticed to a skipper who 
traded with France, Holland, and England. The work and 
exposure molded the growing boy into a sturdy, thickset, 
well-tempered man. When the shipmaster died, he left 
his ship to Francis. The young man carried on the trade 
for a few years, then sold his ship and entered the service 
of his relative, WilHam Hawkins, and sailed as purser on 
a short voyage. 

In October, 1567, Drake as pilot sailed with Sir John 
Hawkins on an e.xpedition carrying negroes from Africa 
to be sold as slaves in the Spanish settlements of South 
America. Even very religious men at that time saw no 
harm in this business. • They said it was one form of mis- 
sionary work, for the negro was taken from heathen Africa 
and given to a Christian master who could teach him the 
true religion. It may in some cases have made a better 
man of him, but years later people believed the system very 
bad. Hawkins and Drake on this voyage sold five hun- 
dred negroes and received in exchange gold and pearls. 
One of their six ships became disabled in a storm, and 
they were obliged to enter the harbor of Vera Cruz for re- 
pairs. In the harbor they found twelve Spanish ships with 
valuable cargoes on board. The next day others arrived. 
England and Spain were jealous of each other. But Haw- 
kins told the Spaniards that he would not touch their treas- 
ure if he might be allowed to repair his ship in the harbor 
so it would be safe to sail for England. The agreement 
was made. For three days all went well. Then suddenly, 
in spite of their promises, the Spaniards attacked the Eng- 
lish vessels. Two of the ships escaped, but the others 
were sunk with all the gold and pearls on board. Hawkins 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 



93 



and Drake bitterly resented this treacherous attack and 
vowed they would have revenge. 

Every time Drake made a voyage after this he robbed 
Spanish colonies and captured Spanish ships. He said 
that this was not wrong, because the Spaniards got their 
gold by robbing the Indians. Spain had been highly 
successful in winning wealth in the New World, but we 
know that her success was not permanent! Her explorers 
sought for riches and adventure, but cared little for the 
dull life and slow growth of an agricultural colony. As a 
result, the riches Spain so 
easily obtained in Mex- 
ico and Peru were as 
rapidly spent at home in 
extravagant living and in 
useless wars with some 
of the other nations of 
Europe. We can readily 
believe that as soon as 
Drake directed some of -^ 
this stream of ill-gotten =^ 
gold to his own pockets, 
the Spaniards began to 
fear and hate him most 
heartily. At last the Spaniards asked Queen Elizabeth to 
punish " the master thief of the western world," as they 
called him. Queen Elizabeth did not punish Drake. 
She believed he would yet be of great service to her, and 
we shall find that he was. 

Years went by, and the relations between England and 
Spain became more unfriendly. Neither country was 




Sir Francis Drake. 



94 yiK FRANCIS DRAKE 

ready to make war, but each wanted to injure the other. 
Drake one night was summoned to the queen. No one 
ever knew what took place at that audience. But the 
next day and in the days following Drake was a busy man 
preparing for a new voyage. No one seemed to know for 
what country the expedition was bound. Some thought it 
was for Egypt, others for America. Drake did not say. 

On November 15, 1577, the expedition started from 
Plymouth. There were five ships, well armed, and provided 
not only with necessary supplies, but with many luxuries. 
This was particularly true of the Pelican, Drake's flagship. 
His table was supplied with gold and silver dishes, and his 
cabin was furnished with chairs and couches covered with 
rich satin and velvet. The fleet went first to the coast of 
Africa, where Drake captured five or six vessels with 
valuable cargoes, and then to the Cape Verde Islands. 
Here the sailors were told the plans in full. Drake 
wished to plunder Spanish ships and Spanish colonies 
on the Pacific Ocean, and to do this he would have 
to follow the dangerous route of Magellan around South 
America. There was dissatisfaction among Drake's men. 
Some wanted to return to England. Many were frightened 
over the prospect of hardships that Magellan had endured. 
But Drake was master of the situation, and the ships headed 
for Brazil. They met fierce storms. The ships were 
hard hit, and two had to be abandoned. On they went 
down the coast, and the storms became fiercer. It was 
Magellan's experience over again. 

On June 20th, midwinter in that latitude, they entered 
Port St. Julian, the very port where Magellan had spent a 
winter nearly sixty years before. Some of the sailors 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 



95 



were disobedient. The gentlemen on board had in some 
cases refused to work with the sailors. Drake took them 
aside and told them that all distinctions in rank must be 
laid aside ; every man must do his allotted task. Very 
soon, through fair treatment by Drake, good discipline was 
restored. The ships were repaired and cleaned ready to 
resume their journey as soon as spring came. Drake's 
flagship was renamed the Golden Hind. 

Late in August, 1578, Drake entered the Strait of Ma- 



"X--^ 1^\ / '■■ * ' m ^.f^'<J~^~~~^- ~:— ^^ EQUATOR PanaAa^ V^ >S / \-^ 







OCEAN 



Drake's route around the world. 



gellan, and in spite of the rough weather his skillful 
seamanship brought the ships through to the Pacific in 
two weeks. Magellan had been five weeks passing 
through. They were well in the Pacific when a gale 
struck them and one of the ships went down with all on 
board. Another went back to England. The Golden 
Hind was all that was left of the fleet. Fair weather and 
good wind attended her now, and she sailed north, looking 
for prizes. 

In the harbor of Valparaiso, Chile, lay a Spanish ship 
called the Grand Captain of the South, with a cargo 
of gold and wine. The sailors were lounging about waiting 



96 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 

for orders to start for Panama, when suddenly a strange 
ship entered the harbor. The Spanish ship saluted as to 
a friend, but it was at once attacked, and after a short 
struggle it was captured. For three days Drake's ship 
lay in the harbor and collected dainties, then sailed away 
with the prize ship under command of one of Drake's 
trusted men. For many weeks the Englishmen had been 
on short rations, but now they had food and delicacies in 
plenty. They required the Spanish pilot of the Grand 
Captain to guide them to the chief seaport of Peru, near 
Lima. On their way they often stopped and captured 
whatever they wished. 

In one port they learned that a ship had just left for the 
north with a cargo of silver on board. Drake gave chase. 
In a short time he overtook her lying at anchor in a small 
bay. When Drake went on board not a man was found 
nor an ounce of silver. Just two hours before, the Span- 
iards had heaved the cargo overboard and the men had 
fled inland. Drake sent both Spanish boats adrift, for 
they were slower than the Golden Hind and only a hin- 
drance to him. 

It was February 15th, in the dead of night, that the 
Golden Hind slipped into the harbor near Lima. Drake 
went from ship to ship in the harbor, but found no treasure. 
He learned, however, that a large vessel, called the Spit- 
fire, had just left for Panama with a big cargo. Drake 
did not wait for morning, but started out at once to over- 
take this treasure ship. But for three days there was a 
dead calm, and Drake's ship lay just outside the harbor, 
unable to move. The soldiers of Lima had been warned, 
and they made ready to attack the strange ship, now 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 97 

recognized as that of the much-hated " master thief," 
Drake. Just as the Spanish were sure of capturing the 
Golden Hind, a stiff breeze sprang up, and off she sailed 
in pursuit of the Spitfire. 

The chase was not so important that Drake was willing 
to let go any chance of taking treasure at hand. He made 
several stops and got some gold at each stop. At one 
place he learned that the Spitfire had left but two days 
before. Drake then determined to catch her soon. He 
offered a gold chain to the first man who sighted the treas- 
ure ship. On they raced. When the Spitfire was seen, 
young John Drake, the nephew of the admiral, claimed 
the chain. The Golden Hind wanted to slacken speed 
until night, so heavy casks were dragged astern. At 
nightfall in one bound the Golde7i Hind was alongside of 
the Spitfire. A single shot brought her to terms. For 
three days side by side the two ships ran away from the 
coast. For three days more they lay side by side. When 
they parted, the Golden Hind had increased her cargo by 
thirteen chests of Spanish gold dollars, eighty pounds of 
pure gold, twenty-six tons of pure silver, and more jewels 
than could be counted. 

So huge was the booty that Drake thought now of 
home. At one Spanish settlement he swooped down and 
found court in session. He captured the judges and made 
them order every man to leave the town. Then Drake 
and his men helped themselves to all the food they needed, 
and the next day sailed away. In another harbor he 
captured a vessel with two Chinese pilots on board, for 
Spain had already opened up a great trade with China 
across the Pacific. This was an important capture ; for 

EXH. & K. — 7 



98 SIR FRANCIS DKAKE 

the pilots had the secret charts by which the Chinese 
trade was safely conducted. 

Drake now sailed north as far as Vancouver, in search 
of a passage back to the Atlantic. But he soon gave 
it up and returned to the Bay of San Francisco. Here 
the English landed. With some ceremony a post was 
planted upon which was nailed a brass plate engraved 
with the name of Elizabeth, queen of England. The 
country thus claimed by Drake for his sovereign was 
called New Albion. In the sheltered harbor of San 
Francisco the English built a fort and dockyard for the 
repair of their ship. The Indians gathered about them 
in great amazement and actually worshiped these first 
Englishmen to visit their shore. The relations between 
visitors and natives were very friendly, and after a month 
the Englishmen sailed away to the southwest. 

In the meantime the Spaniards of South America were 
watching for Drake. They sent ships to head him off 
at the Strait of Magellan, and a strict watch was set at 
Panama. For months no Spanish ship with valuable 
cargo dared start for any port. 

But Drake crossed the Pacific and visited the Philip- 
pines, where Magellan had been killed sixty years before. 
Then he turned south through the East Indies. Once the 
ship struck a rock ; for days the men labored to free her, 
but she stuck fast. Seeing no prospect of escape, they made 
solemn preparations for death. They partook of the sacra- 
ment of communion, and offered prayers to God for for- 
giveness, when suddenly the wind changed and they slid 
■from the rock in safety. Picking their way past strange 
islands, they entered and crossed the Indian Ocean. They 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 



99 



rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and, with no further 
mishaps, headed for England. In the fall of 1580 a 
worm-eaten, weed-clogged, and weather-beaten ship sailed 
into Plymouth harbor. It was the Golden Hind. 

The king of Spain had asked that the pirate Drake be 
punished. Drake was warned that his enemies were at 



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Queen Elizabeth knights Drake. 

work against him. He was not afraid. He went with a 
part of his treasure at once to his queen, and reported all 
he had done. A few weeks later Queen EHzabeth hon- 
ored him with a visit on board his ship. Before she left 
she made him a knight. The Golden Hind was unsea- 
worthy, but Elizabeth ordered that it should never be 
destroyed. 

A few years later the quarrel with Spain broke out. 
The king of Spain collected a great fleet that he called 
the Invincible Armada, and made ready to attack England. 



lOO 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 



Before they could start, Drake, with thirty ships, had sailed 
straight toward Spain. In a bold dash into the port where 
the Spanish fleet was collecting, he captured one ship with 
a most valuable cargo on board, and burned and destroyed 
others. Drake then returned to England and sent word 
to Elizabeth that he had "singed the Spaniard's beard." 




Drake receives the surrender of a Spanish ship. 

A year later (in 1588) the Armada came to England. 
The fleet was made up of a great many very large ships. 
The English ships were smaller, but had better guns. The 
two fleets met in the English Channel. A little Enghsli 
ship could fire at a Spanish ship, then dart away and hit 
another, for the Spanish ships were clumsy and could not 
maneuver. The Spanish rammed their own ships often in 
trying to escape the rapid English ships. This was not 
the worst, for the mortal enemy of Spain had command. 
They dreaded Drake worse than Satan, whose agent some 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE lOI 

really believed him to be. It certainly looked satanic, the 
next night, to see fire ships racing down arnong the clumsy 
Spanish war shijDs. Some were burned, Drake captured 
twelve, and others fled, only to be destroyed by storms. 
Only half the Armada reached Spain, utterly defeated. 
England rang with cheers for Drake and the English navy. 
The king of Spain did not again attempt to conquer 
England. 

Drake, accompanied by Sir John Hawkins, made 
another expedition to the New World, but was taken 
sick on the voyage, and on January 28, 1596, when fifty 
years old, he died on board ship. His body was placed 
in a leaden casket and buried at sea. Two of his ships 
were sunk at his side. A salute of cannon was fired. 
The rest of the fleet returned to England, and Drake's com- 
panions, servants, and sailors, all had a good word to say 
for him. He was generous ; he shared treasure and profits 
according to rank with all. He was good to his prisoners. 
He never allowed his men to illtreat a woman or child. 
With one accord men said, "There will never be another 
man like Francis Drake." There probably never has been. 

It is said that Sir Walter Raleigh, whose Hfe we are 
soon to study, was with Drake on some of his adventurous 
voyages, and it is probably true that Raleigh was in command 
of a part of the English fleet that defeated the Armada. 

Francis Drake was the first Englishman to sail around 
the world. He was the first European to explore the west- 
ern coast of the United States. He was the successful 
commander of the English at the defeat of the Spanish 
Armada, and was rightly regarded as England's greatest 
admiral. 



I02 



SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 



Topical Outline. — Drake's boyhood at Plymouth. England. His 
first work as a sailor. His voyages with Hawkins. The battle in 
the harbor of Vera Cruz. How Drake got revenge. Drakes great 
voyage ; the preparations, the purposes, the results. Defeat of the 
Spanish Armada. 

For Written Work. — I. Drake's nephew John tells of chasing the 
Spitfire. II. Write a paragraph on how the Spaniards at Panama felt 
toward Drake. 



Map Work. 

world. 



Trace the route of Drake on his vovage around the 




The Spanish Armada. 



SIR WALTER RALEIGH — ATTEMPTS AT 
COLONIZATION 

For over eighty years after the Cabots discovered the 
mainland of North America, no attempts were made to 
settle the country. English seamen were bent on finding 
a northwest passage to India, and upon slave trade with 




Raleigh's birthplace in Devonshire 

the Spanish settlements. It was Walter Raleigh who 
made the first great effort to colonize the country claimed 
by England. 

Walter Raleigh was born in 1552, in Devonshire, the 
home of many of England's finest seamen. His father 
was a gentleman of rank and wealth. Nearly every coun- 
try gentleman in Devonshire and Cornwall owned swift 

103 



104 SIR WALTER RALEIGH 

ships for commerce and plunder. At every fireside there 
was much talk of the daring exploits and profitable trips of 
these ships. Of Raleigh's early days we know little. He 
was doubtless well trained and cared for during his early 
boyhood, for we find him as a young man splendidly de- 
veloped, with good health and fine manners. He did well 
also in his studies. 

At eighteen years of age Raleigh left Oxford and went 
to France to join the army of the Huguenots, French 
Protestants who were at war with the Catholics in France. 
When he returned to England five years later he was a 
mature man and a skillful soldier. He was also an attract- 
ive man, six feet tall, with thick curly hair and sharp gray 
eyes. It is said that he could win any one to his side of a 
question after a brief argument. 

One day, it is said. Queen Elizabeth with a few of her 
attendants, when about to enter a boat, had to cross a 
muddy place. The queen hesitated an instant and glanced 
about. Raleigh, standing near, threw his crimson velvet 
cloak with gold embroidery and lace trimming over the wet 
place. The queen graciously acknowledged the courtly 
act, stepped on the cloak, and then went on to her boat. 
Not long after this she sent for Raleigh to visit her, and 
until her death was a good friend to him. 

Raleigh entered the English army and served in Hol- 
land ; then he was sent as captain of English troops to 
Ireland. After his military service in Ireland he remained 
in England for some time. He had wealth and a beauti- 
ful home. His education, experience, and judgment made 
him very valuable to the queen, and he was much at court. 
One writer says, " Raleigh did well whatever he under- 



ATTEMPTS AT COLONIZATION 



105 



took ; as a soldier he was among the best, as a sailor he 
had no superior, as a statesman he had few equals, and as 
a business man he belonged to the twentieth century." 

Court life in Elizabeth's reign was very gay. Men 
dressed most extravagantly, and no man had more gor- 
geous clothes than Raleigh. He had many suits of bril- 
liantly colored satin and velvet. He is said to have worn 
a hat with a pearl band, and the jewels on his shoe buckles 
were worth several thousand dollars. But the most 
remarkable thing was a complete outfit of silver armor 
glittering with many diamonds. Some people thought the 
queen gave these things 
to her favorite, but Ral- 
eigh had large business 
interests and was very 
successful in them. 

Raleigh lived in an 
age of great undertak- 
ings. The work of Drake 
and other explorers he 
believed was good, but 
he also believed that it 
was time for England to 
begin to colonize. It was 
not enough, he thought, 
to claim new lands ; but it was necessary to take posses- 
sion by sending out people to live in the New World. 
Raleigh saw that England at this time needed America. 
England's island home was not large. Her population 
was growing rapidly. There were more men to work than 
there was work to be done, so wages were low. Many 




Portrait of Raleigh, showing dress of 
the time. 



I06 SIR WALThR RALEIGH 

farms had been turned into sheep pastures because the 
price of wool was high. It took fewer men to tend sheep 
than to raise and harvest grain. For a time there were 
no wars, and the soldiers and sailors were out of employ- 
ment. Then, too, England still hated Spain, and English 
colonies in America would check Spain's power. Probably 
back of all there was a desire to find gold and to extend 
England's power and trade. 

Raleigh's half brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, had 
attempted to form a colony in Newfoundland, but had not 
succeeded. He found, as did most explorers, that the 
business of exploration and colony planting was expensive. 
Ships had to be fitted out, supplies furnished ; and some 
one had to pay the bills. Then, too, there was always the 
danger of disease and of disloyalty or disaffection among 
the colonists. Therefore, Raleigh determined to make his 
own fortune before he attempted to carry out his great 
scheme of colonization. In this he was soon successful, 
and the way was clear to begin his work. 

On March 25, 1584, a charter was granted giving to Sir 
Walter Raleigh and his heirs " free liberty to discover 
barbarous countries, not actually possessed by any Chris- 
tian prince, to occupy and enjoy the same forever." The 
queen was to receive one fifth of all precious metals 
found. The charter also stated that " the inhabitants were 
to enjoy all privileges of free citizens of England." Raleigh 
or his representatives were " to have power to punish, 
pardon, govern, and rule ; the laws were to be as near as 
possible to those of England." We see by this that a 
charter was a contract between the sovereign and the 
settlers, as well as a written permission to plant a colony. 



ATTEMPTS AT COLONIZATION IO7 

The charter was necessary in order to secure to the 
colonists all the political and religious rights they had 
enjoyed in the mother country. 

In April of this year Raleigh sent out two ships to ex- 
plore the coast north of the Spanish settlements in Florida 
for the purpose of finding a suitable place for settlement. 
The explorers entered a harbor in what is now North Caro- 
Hna, and landed. Grapes were found in great abundance, 
very large cedar trees grew there, and the land seemed 
most fertile. On further search they found this land to 
be an island twenty miles long. 

The natives proved to be friendly, and brought skins, 
coral, and pearls to the white men and offered them in 
exchange for some tin dishes that took their fancy. The 
Englishmen visited other islands in the chain extending 
for miles along this coast, and decided it was a good place 
to settle. They returned to England, and Raleigh was well 
pleased with their report. Raleigh was one of the few 
men of the age who considered fertile land and commerce 
as good as gold. 

He made his report to the queen, and she named the 
land Virginia and approved of Raleigh's plans for settle- 
ment. Great preparations were now made ; sixteen vessels 
were fitted out with furniture, food, and all things necessary 
to make homes in a wilderness. The queen gave money, 
and Raleigh and his friends invested much more. Queen 
Elizabeth refused to let Raleigh himself go ; but the 
expedition sailed in April, 1585, with four hundred men on 
board. They went a roundabout way, stopping at some of 
the Spanish West Indies and then sailing up the coast of 
North America. It was June when they reached Roanoke 



io8 



SIR WALIER RALEIGH 



Island, selected for the colony. The Indians were at first 
friendly, but one day a savage stole a silver cup, and the 
Englishmen most foolishly burned a town in revenge for 

the petty theft. Such 
treatment was not 
forgotten by the In- 
dians, and trouble 
followed. 

When the ships 
returned to England, 
more than one hun- 
dred colonists re- 
mained in the colony. 
Early the next sum- 
mer Sir Francis Drake 
with several ships 
came along and called 
to see the settlers. He 
arranged to leave am- 
munition and food for 
them, and to take 
letters back to P^ng- 
land to their friends. 
But when the time 




Roanoke Island and vicinity. 



came for Drake to leave, the settlers insisted upon going 
home with him. A few days later a ship with supplies 
arrived from England, only to find a few empty houses. 

The deserting colonists reached England in Drake's fleet 
in July, 1586, and brought with them Indian corn, potatoes, 
and tobacco. Raleigh made the habit of smoking fashion- 
able at the court, and this custom created a demand for 



AITEMPTS AT COLONIZATION IO9 

tobacco, which later made the colony of Virginia pros- 
perous. 

In April, 1587, another company of one hundred and 
fifty, with John White as governor, left for Virginia. They 
landed on Roanoke Island and built houses. The summer 
passed pleasantly. A little granddaughter to Governor 
White was born. She was named Virginia Dare and was 
the first child born of English parents in North America. 
It was found that more supplies were necessary, and 
Governor White returned to England to get them. When 
he went he left eighty-nine men, seventeen women, and 
eleven children in the new colony, and promised to return 
as soon as possible. 

When Governor White reached England, excitement was 
intense over the coming of the Spanish Armada. So many 
soldiers and sailors were called for to defend England 
against the Spaniards, that few men could be found ready 
to go as settlers to Virginia. But Raleigh succeeded in 
fitting out two ships for Governor White. They sailed, 
but were waylaid by the enemy. It was two years before 
Governor White was able to go back to America, and then 
he went as a passenger in another man's ship. When he 
arrived at Roanoke, the settlers were not there, but carved 
on a tree was " Croatoan," the name of an island sixty 
miles south. It had been agreed that if the colonists left 
the island before White returned, they would carve on a 
tree the name of the place to which they went. But a 
storm now threatened, and in spite of White's protests, 
the captain of the ship sailed away without going to 
Croatoan. 

After this, Raleigh at his own personal expense sent 



no SIR WALTER RALEIGH 

out five expeditions to find the lost colonists, but nothing 
was ever heard from them. 

Thus the first English colony in America was a failure, 
partly because of inexperience and partly because the war 
with Spain prevented its proper support. But the experi- 
ment aroused in the English people a desire to plant 
colonies in the New World. Within a few years, largely 
as a result of Raleigh's effort, Enghsh-speaking settle- 
ments were estabhshed at Jamestown and at Plymouth, and 
the foundations were laid for a new nation beyond the sea. 
Raleigh had spent a large fortune in attempting to plant a 
colony in Virginia. Each attempt had failed. But he 
never lost hope, and once he exclaimed, " I shall yet live 
to see Virginia an English nation." He did so, but he 
saw it from prison. 

Raleigh had been an acknowledged favorite of Queen 
Elizabeth ; he had been a successful business man, as well 
as a poet and a soldier. All of these successes made him 
so conspicuous in society that men were envious of him. 
He had warm friends but many bitter enemies. In 1603 
Queen Elizabeth died, and James I became king. James 
did not like Raleigh, and listened to the reports of his 
enemies. Raleigh, in one of his trips, had got into trouble 
with the Spanish authorities; James wanted to secure the 
friendship of Spain, so Raleigh was accused of treason on 
.^he ground that he had exceeded his authority on his explor- 
ing trips. He was tried and imprisoned, and finally, in 
161 8, when sixty-six years of age, he was put to death, 
some people said to please the king of Spain. 

One writer says of him, " Raleigh had a commanding 
place in a grand age." " His love and faith in the future 



ATTEMPrs AT COLONIZATION III 

of England, as the mighty mother of empires and mis- 
tress of the seas, demand for him the judgment that he 
was a towering Englishman." 

Topical Outline. — Raleigh's boyhood in Devonshire. A soldier in 
France. His return to England. How he won the favor of Queen 
Elizabeth. Service in the English army in Holland and Ireland. 
Life at court. What Raleigh thought about colonization. The first 
Roanoke colony. The second colony. The efforts to find the lost 
colonists. Disfavor at court and death. 

For Written Work. — I. Write a paragraph telling why England 
needed America at this time. II. Tell what you think became of the 
lost colonists. 

Map Work. — Locate Devonshire (map, p. 137) and Roanoke (map, 
p. 108). 



" She was named Virginia 
Dare." 



CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH — JAMESTOWN 



Twenty years after the failure of Raleigh's colony, the 
English tried once more to make a settlement in America. 
The man most closely connected with this undertaking 
was Captain John Smith, who was then less than thirty 
years old. In order to understand his fitness for the work 
we must take a look at his earlier life. 

John Smith was born in 



England in 1579, the son 
of a prosperous farmer. He 
was by no means an ordi- 
nary boy, but full of energy 
and pluck, and mentally as 
sharp as steel. His boy- 
hood was in the days of the 
great English explorers. 
He heard tales about the 
deeds of Drake and Frob- 
isher, in the wonderful new 
land beyond the western 
seas. His active brain wan- 
dered from the lessons at 




Cdptdin John Smith 



school to the great things he could do, and one day when 
he was thirteen he made ready to start on a career of ad- 
venture. He sold all he had to get money for his enter- 
prise. His property consisted of his schoolbooks and the 
satchel in which he carried them. 

His plan required that he make his way to the seacoast, 



JAMESTOWN 113 

where he could find a ship to sail away. We must re- 
member that he lived in an age when neither trains nor 
trolley cars were known. He started, but after walking a 
few hours he decided to return home and start again some 
other day. Day by day he found himself busily occupied 
with so many interesting things to do that he did not suc- 
ceed in getting off to the seacoast. Then one day, when 
he was just past fifteen, all was changed by the death of 
his father. His mother had been dead for years. John 
inherited some land, and he said his guardians were more 
particular about his estate than about himself. He was 
bound as an apprentice to one of the greatest merchants 
in that part of England. The work was distasteful, and 
probably his mind was too full of sea dreams for him 
to be useful to his master, who was glad to be rid of 
him. 

In a short time John got a chance to go to France in a 
merchant vessel. The voyage was short, but was worth 
much to John because France was having civil war, and 
he soon found his way into the army. This furnished 
quite as much excitement as the life of a sailor. He later 
went to Holland and fought the Spaniards there. When 
nineteen, he left the army and decided to see the world. 
He soon fell among thieves, and all he had was stolen. 
But the plucky lad made friends of the country folk, and 
one day he met an English earl who had known his father. 
This man took John on a tour of the cities of southern 
France. At Marseilles John decided to take passage on a 
ship bound for the Holy Land. During the voyage, a 
great storm came up, and some superstitious persons on 
board thought that this strange boy in some mysterious 
Kxr. .^ F. — 8 



I. 14 CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH 

way was the cause of the storm, so they threw him over- 
board. John tells us that he was a good swimmer, and 
seeing an island near, he made for it. This island was 
uninhabited, but John spent the night there and the next 
day was rescued by the captain of a passing ship. The 
ship got into a fight with another, and John had a chance 
to use his skill as a soldier. He says that when the fight 
was over, he had a most valuable little box in his possession 
and a thousand dollars in money. 

In time he reached the land of the Turks, and found a 
place in an invading army. He tells us that he devised a 
code of signals by torches which proved so successful that he 
was soon promoted to be captain of a company of cavalry. 
One day he was wounded and left on the field. The Turks 
saw that he was well dressed and wore a rich armor, so they 
held him for ransom. This was fortunate, for had he been 
left on the field, he would have starved. As it was, his cap- 
tors cared for him and cured his wounds. As no ransom 
was offered, he was sold into slavery, but after a time he 
succeeded in making his escape, and returned to England in 
1604. He was then only twenty-four years of age, but 
his experience was varied enough for a man of fifty. He 
had endured such hardships that he was well fitted for a 
pioneer life in a new country. 

About this time some English merchants organized a 
company, known as the London Company, for the purpose 
of trade and colonization in Virginia. They also hoped to 
make careful search for a water route to India. The 
London Company had little difificulty in finding men 
willing to go out as colonists, for the notion prevailed that 
Virginia was a land of great riches. 



JAMESTOWN 



U5 



Captain John Smith became a member of this company 
and did much in getting; the expedition ready to sail. 
There were three vessels, which carried one hundred and 
forty-three passengers. Of this company only twelve were 
manual laborers, and one hundred and two were gentlemen 
who considered it a 




disgrace to work. 
There were a few 
cooks, four carpen- 
ters, a perfumer, a 
barber, and a tailor, 
but no women. All 
expected to get rich 
in a short time. 
Certainly this was 
not a very good selec- 
tion of people to 
endure the hardships 
of pioneer life in the 
wilderness. 

The colonists set 
sail December 19, 
1606, but storms pre- 
vented their going 
out of sight of land 

for six weeks. Then, instead of striking straight west 
across the Atlantic, they went south to the Canary Islands, 
then sailed for the West Indies, and did not reach the 
coast of Virginia until April, 1607. They entered the 
Chesapeake Bay and sailed up the wide mouth of a river 
which they called the James, in honor of their king. 



-(RKliillond), - ^V „, ^ 

JamestoM q\ ! '^^ " '^ Charles . 
jamesio«nv iy,^ p, Comfort^ 

i ^^~\C Henry 

A 

^^i/S(vJ ^^^^ Jc Hatteraa 







SCALE OF MILES 



The Virginia coast. 



ii6 



CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH 



When they landed, one of the men wrote that he 
" found nothing worth speaking about but fair meadows 
and goodly tall trees, with such fresh water running 
through the woods as I was famished for." They had 
been sailing sixteen days under a hot sun with no chance 
to fill their water casks afresh. The beautiful dogwood 
was in blossom, and "all the ground was bespread with 




The settlers build homes. 

many sweet and deUcate flowers of divers colors and kinds." 
They decided that " heaven and earth had never agreed 
better to frame a place for man's habitation." They went 
back to their ship to spend the night, and opened the 
sealed box that had been given them by the agent of the 
London Company, on starting, with instructions that it 
was not to be opened until they reached Virginia. They 
found within it the names of the men selected as the Coun- 
cil to govern the colony, and Captain John Smith's name 



JAMESTOWN 1 1 7 

was one of them. Within a year he proved to be the only 
man capable of serving as governor. 

Some Indians shot a few arrows at them that first night, 
but were frightened away by musket shots. The chief of 
the Rappahannocks paid them a visit in a few days. He 
marched at the head of a band of Indians clad in most fan- 
tastic dress. One side of his head was shaved, and over 
this he wore a plate of copper. The hair on the other side 
was wound up into a knot and dyed red ; into this were 
stuck two long eagle feathers. His body was stained crim- 
son, and his face was painted blue. He wore a chain of 
wampum (shell beads) about his neck, and ornaments of 
pearls in his ears. The interview was friendly, and the 
Englishmen thought that they would have no trouble with 
the Indians. 

The colonists chose a site on the peninsula between the 
York and the James rivers, and began to lay out a town 
which they named James City, or Jamestown. This at first 
seemed a good place for a settlement ; but it was low and 
swampy. To-day it is deserted, and only a few ruins mark 
the site. The colonists planted potatoes, melons, cotton, 
and pumpkins. They cut down trees and split timbers 
and hewed logs and built homes. There was cooking to 
do, and washing and scores of other disagreeable tasks to 
perform, and the men preferred to explore. It was a 
strange country, and they wished to see the sights and 
hunt for gold. 

The work was heavy, and many of these men had never 
done a day's labor in their lives. They were hard to man- 
age ; they often behaved like petulant children because the 
governor tried to make them build houses for shelter dur- 



H8 CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH 

ing the winter. Then, too, the ships were to be sent back 
to England, and they wanted to send some kind of cargo. 
They wasted many weeks of valuable time trying to find 
gold, and the cold weather of autumn was on them before 
they were half ready for a winter in the wilderness. They 
planted so late in the spring that neither grain nor vege- 
tables were ready for use in the fall. The supply of food 
got so low that only worm-eaten barley was left. Their 
misery was increased by the attacks of the Indians. It 
was necessary for each man to watch every third night, 
" lying on the cold, bare ground," and this exposure 
brought fever to nearly every man in the colony. Some- 
times there were not five men able to shoulder a musket. 
Half of the colonists died, and the rest were finally saved 
by food obtained from the Indians. 

The red men brought corn, persimmons, and turkeys 
and other wild fowl, but this first supply did not last long, 
and when the colonists wanted more, they were suddenly 
unable to get any. Captain John Smith believed that this 
was due to poor management in dealing with the Indians. 
He knew the Indians had corn, and he determined to get 
it peacefully if he could, forcibly if he must. He took a 
few men in two small boats and sailed up the James River. 
He bartered chisels for corn enough to last two weeks, and 
returned with it to the hungry men ; and on other trips he 
secured more corn. 

Smith then set off on an exploring expedition to find the 
Pacific. He sailed up the Chickahominy River, till the 
water proved too shallow for the boat. Leiving men in 
charge of the boat. Smith hired a canoe, and with two of 
his men continued his journey for twenty miles. They 



JAMESTOWN 



119 



were suddenly attacked by Indians; the two men were 
killed, and Smith was taken captive. The Indians took 
Captain Smith to their chief. 

It was a desperate moment for the captain, but he was 
equal to the occasion. He pulled his compass out of his 
pocket and held it up, saying that by it he could tell direc- 
tions and the time of day. He talked on about the sun, 
moon, and earth, 
making his story 
sound mysterious. 
But Smith was tied 
to a tree, and the 
Indians stood about 
and drew their bows 
as if to shoot him. 
Then they stopped 
to examine the com- 
pass. When they 
saw the needle move 
as they turned the 
compass, and found 
that they could not 
touch it because of the glass, they were sure it was be- 
witched. They thought Captain Smith was a " medicine 
man " capable of magic. The chief took a fancy to him, 
and probably feared to put a " medicine man " to death ; so 
Smith was untied while the Indians danced and yelled 
about him to ward off any magic speW. Then a great 
feast was prepared, but Captain Smith savs that because of 
his uneasiness his appetite was not very good. He was 
well treated, though carefully guarded. 




Smith shows his compass. 



I20 CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH 

Before Smith was captured, he had wounded a young 
Indian by a pistol shot. The Indians asked him if he 
could cure the young man. He said he had a bottle of 
water at Jamestown that would cure the man, if they would 
let him go to fetch it. The Indians were too shrewd to 
allow this, but offered to send runners for whatever he 
wanted. 

Smith seized the chance to let the English at Jamestown 
know what had happened. He wrote a letter, and three 
messengers took it to the settlement. According to Smith's 
instructions, the colonists treated the messengers well. 
They shot off the big cannon to impress them, and they 
displayed all the. trinkets they could. The Indians were 
highly pleased, and returned with exactly the things Smith 
said he would send for. This made the Indians think 
that Smith either could foretell what would happen, or was 
able to "bewitch a piece of paper so it could talk." 
Thoroughly convinced that Captain Smith was a " medicine 
man," the Indians performed some mysterious ceremony 
with sticks, rattles, and songs, which lasted all day. Then 
they feasted merrily, and invited Captain Smith to become 
a member of their tribe. 

Although the Indians treated their captive with great 
respect, they did not release him, but took him to visit 
other villages, and finally to the great Powhatan himself. 
This old chief received the prisoner with great ceremony. 
He was dressed in a robe of raccoon skins, with a chain of 
pearls around his neck. He was surrounded by many 
squaws and other attendants. 

As Captain Smith entered the presence of the Powhatan, 
he was hailed with shouts. Then one of the squaws brought 



JAMESTOWN 



121 



water to wash his hands, and another brought him a bunch 
of feathers instead of a towel to dry them. Food was 
served. After this the Powhatan's counselors took their 
places around the room, and Captain Smith was carefully 
questioned. The Powhatan asked why the English had 

\ .< * ■• «sr^ 




Smith tells stories to Pocahontas. 



come to his country ; why Smith had sailed up the river ; 
why he had sailed so far, and not farther. Smith answered 
the questions in such a way as to please the Indians. But 
the Powhatan probably decided that the English settlers 
could best be driven out if their leader, Smith, was dis- 
posed of. 

We are told by Captain Smith that he was bound and 



122 CAITAIN JOlIX SMITH 

placed with his head upon a block of stone to be killed. 
At this critical moment the Powhatan's little daughter, 
Pocahontas, sprang forward and asked that the prisoner 
be saved and given to her. Many writers doubt the truth 
of this story told by Captain Smith in his book of ad- 
ventures, but it is a good explanation of his escape from 
death. Among the Indians, if a woman had lost a relative 
in battle, she had the right to adopt a prisoner in his place. 
Smith tells us that the Powhatan decided that the prisoner 
should Uve to make hatchets, bells, and other trinkets for 
the little princess Pocahontas. 

After a few days Smith was allowed to return to James- 
town, reaching there in January, 1608, just twenty-three 
days after he started out to explore. On the day of his 
arrival, a ship from England brought a hundred new colo- 
nists. They had been there but a few days when one 
of them accidentally set fire to a cabin, and half the houses 
were burned, besides clothing, beds, and food. The 
London Company in England had sent word by the 
captain of the vessel that gold should be sent back on the 
return of the boat. So, instead of repairing their houses, 
many of the new men went off digging for gold in frozen 
ground. • Captain John Smith was disgusted. He rightly 
believed no gold was to be found there. So when the 
next ship came, he set men to work to get tar, pitch, and 
potash to send to the London Company. He also sent a 
letter in which he told the Company to send no more 
worthless gold hunters to Virginia. " Give us carpenters, 
gardeners, and blacksmiths ; thirty men who can work are 
better than a thousand such as are here," he said. 

The captain of the vessel and some of the newcomers 



JAMESTOWN 123 

had visited the Powhatan, and trading with the members 
of the tribe had aroused ill-feehng. The Powhatan prob- 
ably was angry because more Enghshmen had come, so 
he planned to destroy the colony. He might have been 
successful had it not been for Pocahontas, who one dark 
night slipped away from home and ran off to warn the 
EngUsh at Jamestown. The Powhatan must have been 
surprised a few days later when he received a message 
from Captain Smith, saying, "We are all ready for you. 
Come whenever you choose." 

Captain John Smith watched over the colony. He could 
manage the Indians. He bought corn from them when no 
one else could, but he had great trouble with his own 
countrymen. Many of them were so shiftless they would 
not try to get food until they were starved to it. It was 
possible to shoot game and to fish. They could raise 
vegetables, if they tried. The food was kept in a common 
storehouse, all the colonists got daily rations, and when the 
supply was gone, they expected the governor to furnish 
more. Finally Captain Smith, now the governor, said that 
a man who would not work should not eat. Each man 
was then required to work six hours each day before he 
could have his rations allowed. This was a good plan, and 
saved the colony from disaster as long as it was enforced. 
Captain Smith says the men were much given to swearing; 
but he made a rule that any man caught swearing should 
be punished by having a can of cold water poured down 
the sleeve of his uplifted right arm. The swearing soon 
stopped. 

During this time Captain Smith had made many voyages 
up the Chesai:)eake Hay, and up the York and Potomac 



124 CAPTAIN JOII.V SMITH 

rivers, to find a passage to the Pacific. He sailed hundreds 
of miles, and made such an excellent map of the coast ex- 
plored that no better took its place until a hundred and 
fifty years later. One day in 1609 a bag of gunpowder 
exploded in his boat and wounded Smith so that he was 
obliged to go to England for medical treatment. After 
he recovered his health, he visited the New England coast 
and made a map of it. He then returned to England, 
where he wrote five or six books about America and 
seamanship. He died in England in 1632, at the age of 
fifty-three. 

Possibly Captain John Smith's services to the Virginia 
colony are best shown by the conditions after he left. 
The Indians gave much more trouble, and the winter of 
1609-1610 was one of terrible famine. The colonists 
could not get corn from the Indians. They carelessly let 
rats get into their grain. No one proved able to direct 
affairs. The men lived in idleness as long as any food 
lasted, and made little effort to increase the supply. Then 
they ate rats, mice, and even their dogs, instead of ventur- 
ing into the woods to shoot game or to catch fish and 
shoot wild ducks on the York and James rivers. Of about 
five hundred colonists who were at Jamestown when Cap- 
tain Smith left in October, 1609, only sixty were alive the 
following June, when a relief ship came from England. 

But at last there was a change for the better. Good 
workmen were sent over. The men learned to plant their 
corn early in the spring and to care for it and have food 
of their own in the fall. Each man was allotted a portion 
of land to cultivate, and he provided for his own needs, 
and in time was encouraged to sell his surplus. Women 



JAMESTOWN 125 

were sent over to make comfortable homes for the men. 
The colonists prospered by raising tobacco, for which 
there was a good market in Europe. By the time of 
Captain John Smith's death in 1632, Virginia had many 
thrifty people and many good homes. 

Topical Outline. — Smith's boyhood and early adventures. The Lon- 
don Company. The voyage to America and the landing at Jamestown. 
How the colonists wasted time. Smith captured by the Indians. His 
clever way of entertaining his captors. Pocahontas. Smith's return 
to Jamestown. How he governed the colony. His explorations and 
his map. His return to England, and later life. 

For Written Work. — I. Explain how the Jamestown colony might 
have got along with less suffering. II. Tell of the services of Smith to 
the colony. 

Map Work. — Locate Jamestown, Chickahominy River, Chesapeake 
Bay. 




ece of armor found 
at Jamestown. 



POCAHONTAS, THE POWHATAN'S 
DAUGHTER 

Of all the names of friendly Indians, there is none that 
has such romantic interest as that of Pocahontas. This 
name, however, so familiar to us, was only a nickname 
given by the Powhatan to his little daughter. Her real 
name was Ma-ta-oka. A chief's daughter was always 
given much more freedom than other girls, and this young 
girl played with the boys of her tribe, and was so success- 
ful in feats of skill that her doting father called her Po-ca- 
hon-tas (a regular tomboy). The Indians were always 
reluctant to give their names to strangers, for they believed 
an enemy would be more successful in conjuring up evil 
spirits with one's real name. So when the English came 
to Virginia and heard of the Powhatan's little daughter, 
they were told her nickname rather than her real name. 

Although Pocahontas was the daughter of a chief, her 
home was not very different from those of other little Indian 
girls of her tribe. They lived in long, low houses that would 
accommodate about twenty families. The framework of this 
long house was made of bent saplings with an arched roof. 
The whole was covered with sheets of bark nicely matched 
to keep out wind and rain. A broad central passageway 
extended through the house from end to end. On each 
side of this hall-like space were apartments, or stalls, eight 
feet wide. Here were bunks built against the walls and 

126 



INDIAN LIFE 12/ 

spread with deerskin robes, where the members of each 
family slept. In the passageway, at equal distances apart, 
were fire pits where the food for four families was cooked, 
and around which the families gathered in winter to 
keep warm. The chief's fire was usually in the middle 
of the long row, and occasionally that fire was not shared 
by other families. This was the principal distinction en- 
joyed by the chief, who had been raised to leadership by 
the choice of the members of the tribe. 

Around the house was what we should call the garden 
and farm. In these fields the Indians raised corn, pump- 
kins, melons, beans, and tobacco. The crops were tilled 
entirely by the women. The men and boys were hunters 
and warriors — never gardeners. The garden work was 
not very hard as the squaw did it, and in those days there 
was little housework for Indian women to do. An old 
Indian once declared, " Squaw love to eat meat ; no hus- 
band, no meat. Squaw do everything to please husband ; 
he do everything to please squaw ; no squaw, no corn. 
All live happy." 

Corn was the staple article of food. Green corn was 
roasted in the coals, and eaten as a vegetable ; and ripe 
corn was kept for the winter food. The colonists learned 
from the squaws to make hoe cake, ash cake, and corn 
pone ; to cook hominy, samp, and meal gruel ; and to pop 
corn. The Indian word for popcorn meant, " the com 
that flowers." The New England colonists learned from 
the Indians how to serve a meal of baked beans. It was 
also from the Indians that the colonists learned to make 
delicious maple sugar. The hunters shot deer, and caught 
fish in the autumn and cured them with salt and smoke 



128 



POCAHONrAS 



and put them away for winter use after the days for hunt- 
ing had passed. 

The bow and arrow ranked highest among Indian weap- 
ons. The arrows were tipped with flint, or with the sharp 
point of a deer horn, or with the spur of a wild turkey. 
Each hunter had a personal mark on his arrows so he 
could not only recover them, but always tell whose shot 
brought down the game. In war this marking of arrows 
often settled the dispute as to the right to scalplocks. 
The iron tomahawk, or hatchet, that proved so deadly in 

colonial wars was introduced 
among the Indians by Euro- 
pean traders. Before that, 
the Indians had clubs of hard 
wood, sometimes edged with 
flint, and a few stone toma- 
hawks. They showed great 
skill in making stone mallets 
and various tools and imple- 
ments. 

The skins of the animals 
killed for food were carefully 
dressed, made soft and pliant, 
and fashioned into all sorts 
of garments for men, women, 
and children. Many of these were artistically trimmed 
with bead work, fringes, or feather work. 

There was in the heart of the Indian much of the play 
spirit. It is good to think that Indians, old and young, 
enjoyed games. Some of these were games of strength, 
skill, or endurance; others were just for pure fun. For 




Indian quiver with arrows. 



INDIAN LIFE 



129 



some games the contestants often went through a course 
of dieting and training, just as college athletes do to-day. 
Probably the most common game was lacrosse, which was 
played with a small ball by six or eight players on a side. 
Each player had a stick that looked much like a long, 
slender tennis racket. The field was eighty rods across, 
with a gate of two 
upright posts at each 
side. One of these 
gates belonged lo 
each party, and the 
contest was to see 
which party could 
carry the ball through 
its own gate. The 
Indians held tourna- 
ments in which they 
tested their skill in 
throwing javelins, 
and in leaping, wres- 
tling, and archery. In 
winter the game of 
snow-snakes was very 
popular. The snakes 

were made of tough hickory, six or seven feet long. The 
head was turned up like a sleigh runner, and tipped with 
lead. The game consisted in throwing these snakes so 
that they would run or slide a great distance over the snow. 
A fireside game was played with deer buttons or with 
peach stones. The game in each case was to take six or 
eight buttons or stones and throw them to see which 

EXF. & F. — 9 




Indian runner. 



I30 



POCAHONTAS 



side came up. Whole evenings were spent by Indians sit- 
ting flat on the floor around a blanket on which these but- 
tons or stones were thrown. This game was much used 
for gambling. But the plays in which Pocahontas excelled 
were making cartwheels and turning handsprings. She 
had a brother about her age, and doubtless the sturdy little 
girl developed skill for such sport through love for the lit- 
tle brother playmate. We are told by the secretary of the 

Jamestown colony that " she did 
get the boyes forth with her 
into the market place and make 
tliem wheele, falling on their 
hands, turning their heels up- 
ward, whome she would followe 
and wheele so herself all the 
fort over." 

The education of Indian 
children was a matter of train- 
ing, to teach them how to do 
what was expected of them as 
men and women. 

The boy was the future war- 
rior. He was trained to jump. 
At an early age he began 
to practice with the bow and arrow. The target for 
practice was often a bunch of grass fastened on the top of a 
stick. When the boy was seven years old, he was required 
to keep his first fast. This was an all day's watch upon 
some high or exposed point. Here, smeared with white 
clay, he remained alone without food, and called upon his 
selected Manitou, or spirit, to make him a great warrior. 




Indian boys shooting. 

run, swim, and wrestle. 



INDIAN LIFE 



131 



These fasts continued at regular intervals until he was 
sixteen, when in a five days' fast in solitude, a dream was 
supposed to reveal to him some bird or beast that would 
be his mysterious protector through life. This creature 
must be hunted and killed by the boy, its skin 
made into a pouch, or bag, and always worn by 
him for good luck. The Indian boys were 
trained to endure all sorts of suffering or 
torture without a word of complaint. Boys 
were rarely punished, but were expected to be 
respectful toward their elders and truthful to 
all but enemies. 

The education of the girl was to prepare 
her, also, for the work of her life. She early 
learned to pick up sticks of wood for the fire. 
She aided in planting corn and in grinding it, 
and she was the nurse girl for her younger 
brothers and sisters. The girl was taught to 
serve the men and boys of the family. As this 
was the highest aim in the life of the Indian 
women, no girl considered it a hardship. Much 
beautiful beadwork was done by Indian girls. 
They made the wampum belts of little black 
and white shells. Sometimes a strip of wam- 
pum, with designs in different-colored shells, 
was given when a treaty was made. This wam- '^ 

pum was Indian money, and such a belt showed ^^'"P"'"- 
its value as readily as would a belt of gold dollars. 

Indians were superstitious and curious. The white men 
at first awed and interested them. Indian runners rapidly 
spread the news of the arrival of Europeans in any part of 



132 POCAHONTAS 

the country, and every village was eagerly alert to see the 
strangers. 

While Captain John Smith was kept by the Powhatan, 
the little ten-year-old Pocahontas found him a most inter- 
esting curiosity. She was fearless, with the natural in- 
quisitiveness of a girl and of an Indian combined. This 
paleface was the first she had ever seen. His hair and 
beard were very funny. His shining clothing was much 
more wonderful than the deerskin garments familiar to 
her. His pockets were full of the most beautiful trinkets. 
Never in her life had Pocahontas seen such curious toys 
as the captain's compass and his pocketknife. No won- 
der that the little Indian girl interfered to save him when 
she saw the warriors threaten to kill him. 

Had the captain not found Pocahontas genuinely inter- 
esting, he was shrewd enough to know that it was worth 
while to be kind to her. So when he left the lodge of the 
Powhatan a few days later, he left a firm friend in the 
chief's daughter. She long dreamed of the white man 
and his presents, and in her own willful fashion determined 
to go to the English settlement to see all the wonders of 
which he had told her. 

Within a year Smith and some other P^nglishmen again 
visited the Powhatan. Little Pocahontas was so delighted 
that she got her girl friends together and entertained the 
guests with some gay little dances. Her first visit to 
Jamestown was a curious expedition for a child. Some 
Indians had been taken prisoners and held by the English. 
They belonged to the Powhatan's tribe. One day in the 
autumn of 1608, Pocahontas came to Jamestown and asked 
for the great captain. He was genuinely glad to see his 



INDIAN LIFE I33 

little friend, but was almost convulsed with laughter over 
her stilted little speech " entreating the liberty of certain 
members of her tribe detained by the captain and his 
friends." Smith was clever enough to know that Poca- 
hontas had been "coached " for her part by her wily old 
father, and that she was too valuable a friend to lose. He 
assured her it gave him great pleasure to grant her wish. 
He then took her around the village, and delighted her 
with many curious presents. Needless to say, she re- 
turned to her father full of praise for the Englishmen. 

After this, Pocahontas was a frequent visitor. Some- 
times she came to play with the white children, and at 
other times she came on important errands. The Indians 
had become hostile.. Three times they plotted to destroy 
the great captain and his people, and each time Pocahontas 
found a way to warn her friends of their danger. One 
night an appointment had been made for the Indians to 
bring corn. The captain and a few men had gone to the 
place of meeting in the woods. They were waiting for the 
arrival of the Indian porters, when Pocahontas suddenly 
appeared in breathless haste and warned them, saying, " Be 
guarded, my father ; the corn and the good cheer will 
come as promised, but even now my father, the Powhatan, 
is gathering all his power to fall upon you and kill you. 
If you would live, get away at once." The captain was so 
grateful to her that he gave her his pocket compass, 
because that was, above all things, what interested her 
most. But the Indian girl was wise enough to refuse 
the gift, for she knew it would betray to her father that 
she had warned the English whom her father regarded as 
enemies. The captain and his men hurried back to James- 



134 



POCAHONTAS 



town and made ready for an attack, and Pocahontas 
returned to her people, whose plans she had frustrated. 
It was not long after this that Captain John Smith 
returned to England, and Pocahontas felt that the increas- 
ing troubles between her people and the white men made 

it unsafe for her to visit 
Jamestown. We hear 
nothing more about her 
until four years later, in 
1613, when she was 
treacherously kidnaped 
by Captain Argall and 
held as hostage for the 
friendship of the Powha- 
tan. Although but six- 
teen, she had been 
married to a young chief 
who had been killed in 
an Indian fight. She 
was no longer the sturdy 
little athlete of earlier 
days, but a dignified In- 

Marriage of Pocahontas. ^jj^^ widoW. She waS 

well treated, and soon Master John Rolfe, an industrious 
young Englishman, became interested in her. He said 
that he married her for the purpose of converting her to 
Christianity. Whether that is true or not, he took her to 
England, where she was received by society as an Indian 
princess. She met Captain John Smith again while in 
England. Just as she was to sail for Virginia, in 161 7, 
she suddenly died, leaving one son. John Rolfe in time 



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^QTa Jt^S 


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■ 



INDIAN LIFE 



135 



returned to Virginia, where he became a most successful 
grower of tobacco. The Uttle son of Pocahontas grew to 
be a man, and his descendants intermarried with many of 
the old families of Virginia who have been important 
figures in American history. Many people are living 
to-day who can trace relationship to Pocahontas. 

Topical Outline. — The name Pocahontas. Indian food ; clothing; 
weapons; hunting; games ; education. Pocahontas and John Smith. 
Visits to Jamestown. Warnings by Pocahontas. The i<idnaping. 
Marriage to Rolfe. Death. 

For Written Work.— I. Pocahontas tells a little English girl of tlic 
good things to eat made from corn. II. What Pocahontas thought 
of England. 




Indian papoose. 



MILES STANDISH AND THE PILGRIMS 

Until the seventeenth century most luiropean countries 
had a state church, and all people were expected to worship 
in the manner prescribed by law. England's established 
church was what we call to-day the Episcopal Church. 
There were people in England who did not like the forms 
and ceremonies of this church. They objected to the use 
of the prayer book, to the minister's wearing a surplice in 
the pulpit, to the making of the sign of the cross in bap- 
tism, and to the use of the ring in the marriage service. 
They claimed that such forms had no religious value or 
meaning ; that the people should live good lives and wor- 
ship in any manner they wished. They made an effort to 
simplify or purify the church, and for this reason were 
in ridicule called Puritans. They were so conscientious 
that neither ridicule nor persecution turned them aside 
from what they thought right. 

Some Puritans separated from the Church of England 
and held services in private houses or in the open air. 
These were called " Separatists." They were arrested as 
lawbreakers, and fined or imprisoned. About the time 
the Jamestown colony was planted, a band of these Separa- 
tists from Scrooby went to the city of Leyden, in Holland, 
where they could enjoy freedom of worship. They stayed 
in Holland twelve years. 

These Pilgrims, as we call the Separatists after they 

136 



THE PILGRIMS 



Ip^ 



begin to travel, were mainly farmers, and had difificulty to 
earn their living in the Dutch city or gardens. Their 
children were obliged to attend Dutch schools, and were 
fast losing the use of the English language. The sons of 
the Pilgrims entered the Dutch army and navy, and the 
young people began to intermarry. The Pilgrims feared 
that if they stayed in Holland any longer, their families 
would become Dutch. 




Holland and part of England. 

They decided that they would like to go to America. 
They sent two men to get permission of the London Com- 
pany to settle on its land. The company was glad to get 
them for colonists, and gave them a charter of privileges. 
But it was agreed that the Pilgrims should make a new 
settlement and not join the Jamestown colony. This 
was, of course, what the Pilgrims preferred to do. They 
set sail in the Spccdzvcll from Delft Haven, not far 
from Leydcn. In England they were joined by the 



138 



MILES STANDISH 



Mayflower and a few of their friends, and in August, 1620, 
the two ships started for the New World. The Speedivell 
proved unseaworthy, and the ships had to return to Plym- 
outh in England. Some passengers were transferred to 
\.\\Q Mayfloiver; others were left behind. It was the middle 
of September before the Mayfloiuer sailed away from 
Plymouth with one hundred and two colonists on board. 
The Mayfloivcr would be a queer-looking ship to us 
to-day with her three-decked stern, high forecastle, and 

stumpy masts. The main deck 
after-house was divided into tiny 
cabins for the women, and in 
the deck-house above were the 
officers' quarters. Between 
decks were the cabins and bunks 
for men and boys. The " deck 
space," or middle of the ship, 
was so low that the waves fre- 
quently broke over and washed 
The passengers did not all eat at 
one table, but each family or group of friends had their 
meals in picnic fashion. The ship was none too strong, 
and it carried a very heavy load. It encountered heavy 
seas and high winds, and many times the Pilgrims feared 
that their ship would go to pieces. As they approached 
the coast of North America, they were carried out of their 
course by the Gulf Stream, and instead of reaching the 
mouth of the Hudson River, they found themselves off 
Cape Cod. In November, 1620, after nine weeks at sea, 
the Mayflower entered Cape Cod Bay. 

It was an interesting company on board. There were 




The Mayflower. 

off articles left there 



THE PILGRIMS 1 39 

the master of the ship, his mates, and the crew of rough 
sailors who cared nothing for a colony. Then there were 
nineteen women, who had been used to the conveniences 
of civilized life and comfortable homes. There were 
forty^four men, and thirty-nine boys and girls of various 
ages, besides one tiny baby born about the time they 
reached Cape Cod. Of these men John Carver was the 
governor ; Elder Brewster was the minister ; Edward 
Winslow one of the rich men ; William Bradford an in- 
fluential young man who for many years was governor, 
and wrote the history of the colony. John Alden was a 
young carpenter hired to come with the Pilgrims, and 
Miles Standish was the experienced soldier who trained 
the men and boys for the defense of the colony. None of 
these people were very rich, but most of the families 
brought one or more servants, and all persons, including 
the minister and the governor, were willing to work. 

When the ship entered Cape Cod Bay, the Pilgrims knew 
the land there was not under the control of the London 
Company. Some effort was made to go farther south, but 
the winds were against them, and they decided to settle 
where they were. As they had no government, Bradford 
says, " It was thought good there should be an association 
and agreement that we should combine together in one 
body and to submit to such government and governors as 
we should by common consent make and choo.se." There, 
in the cabin of the Majjlinvct; was drawn up and signed 
what is known as the " Mayflower Compact." By this the 
first civil body politic was organized in America, and gov- 
ernment by consent of the governed was first .set up. The 
Pilgrims asked John Carver to continue as their governor. 



140 



MILES STANDISH 




Signing the Mayflower Compact. 

Captain Standish formed a company of twenty of the 
stronger men for his little army. They had no attractive 
uniforms like modern soldiers, but all wore armor. This 
consisted of a steel helmet and iron breastplate, or a coat 
lined with quilted cotton. Their arms were swords and 
clumsy flintlock muskets. While the Mayflower lay at 
anchor, these men made many explorations on foot and in 
their shallop, or boat, to find a suitable place to settle. 
One day they dug into a curious-looking mound and found 
some weapons and dishes. In another mound they dis- 
covered several baskets of corn. This pleased them 



tfip: pilgrims 



141 



greatly, for some of the corn might be used for food, while 
the rest might be saved for the spring planting. 

Finally, near the end of December, they decided on 
Plymouth as a good place. This harbor is on the main- 
land opposite Cape Cod, and had some years before been 
visited and named by Captain John Smith, whose map the 
Pilgrims had. The men reported that at Plymouth could 
be found clay for bricks, sand for mortar, stones for 
chimneys, and trees for logs. Just back from the harbor 
was a hill where the cannon could be mounted for defense, 
and a spring of good 
water was near. The 
report was eagerly ac- 
cepted by those waiting 
on board ship. 

It was on December 2 1 
that the exploring party 
first entered Plymouth 
harbor. Tradition says 
that they landed on a 
rock on the beach. In 
1764 the Sons of Liberty 
of Massachusetts under- 
took to move this rock 
back from the beach, 

where the sea continually washed its sides, and to carry it 
into the town of Plymouth. The rock broke in two, and 
only the upper part was carried to the village. Afterwards 
it was taken back to the shore, where it can be seen to-day 
with a pretty little shelter built over it. 

The J\IayJiinvc)' left her anchorage and crossed to 




I'-A^s^^itfjt* 






Plymouth Rock to-day. 



142 



MILES StANDISH 



Plymouth harbor. Everybody had work to do, and gladly 
did it. Some of the strongest men cut down trees ; others 
began to build houses. Campfires were built every day, 
for which the children gathered twigs and branches. The 
women cooked, and washed clothes. In a few weeks seven 
log houses and a storehouse had been put up. As soon as a 
house was finished, some of the company stayed in it, 
instead of returning each night to the Mayfloivcr. By the 
last of February the fort was completed, the four cannon 
were mounted, and all the supplies were brought from 
the ship and put into the storehouse. 

The weather was very changeable, and the people had 
to sleep in close and crowded quarters. Many took colds 
and died of consumption. It was a sad winter. Bradford's 
wife was drowned early ; within a month after landing, 
Rose Standish, the captain's wife, died. After her death 
Captain Standish went from house to house helping to care 
for the sick, sitting up nights so that members of the family 
could rest. Governor Carver died in April, and William 
Bradford was then elected governor, which office he 
held for thirty-seven years. By the end of March, forty- 
seven of the small band of one hundred and two had 
died. Nevertheless, when, on the 15th of April, the 
Mayfloivcr returned to England, not one of the Pilgrims 
went back. 

The Indians did not molest the colonists, but watched 
them closely. One day when Miles Standish and another 
man left their axes in the woods while they went to dinner, 
the Indians stole them. Indians were often seen lurking 
about, but they did not visit the colonists until the middle 
of March. 



THE PILGRIMS I43 

Then one day a straight, tall young Indian walked 
slowly down the one street of Plymouth. He had in one 
hand a bow, and in the other two arrows. As some of the 
men approached him, he said in English, " Welcome, Eng- 
lishmen, welcome ! " Naturally the colonists were sur- 
prised, and they collected around him. The Indian said 
that his name was Samoset, and that he had learned to 
speak their language from the English fishermen on the 
northeast coast. He was very friendly, and told the 
colonists many things they wanted to know. One bit of 
news was that a plague had broken out a few years before 
among the Indians of the district near Plymouth, and the 
whole tribe had died, so that there were none to dispute 
the right of the English to settle there. At night the 
colonists tried to say farewell to Samoset, but he said that 
he wished to stay all night. So they gave him food and 
made him a bed, but they watched him all night for fear 
he might be an enemy. He slept quietly, and in the 
morning bade them good-by and promised to come again. 
They gave him a knife, a bracelet, and a ring, and he went 
away happy. 

In a few days Samoset returned, and this time brought 
Squanto, another Indian who could speak English. Squanto 
afterward became a frequent visitor. One day he came 
with the message that Massasoit, the chief of the Wam- 
panoags, and sixty braves were coming to see the colonists. 
Captain Miles Standish said, " They must not enter the 
town ! " Squanto carried messages back and forth, and 
finally Captain Standish decided that Massasoit and twenty 
unarmed Indians might enter. The arrival was celebrated 
by the beating of a drum and the blowing of trumpets and 



144 MILES STAND I SH 

the firing of six muskets. The noise was intended to im- 
press and awe the Indians. 

Massasoit was a tall, stately old Indian, dressed in beaver 
skins, with a string of white stone beads around his neck. 
His face was dyed a dark red color. Captain Standish, with 
the governor and Elder Brewster, received Massasoit at the 
entrance to the town, and conducted him to the council 
room at the fort, allowing the Indians to look curiously into 
each of the seven houses on their way. After these 
friendly greetings and much parade and ceremony on each 
side, a formal treaty was made by which they agreed to be 
friends and to help each other in case of need. 

The news of this treaty was carried to Massasoit's 
enemy, Canonicus, chief of the Narragansetts, who became 
very angry because the English had made friends with 
Massasoit. One day some weeks later, an Indian runner 
came into Plymouth with a bundle of arrows wrapj^ed in a 
rattlesnake's skin. Squanto explained to Captain Standish 
what it meant. The captain replied, " If he will have war, 
let him." He then filled the snake skin with powder and 
bullets, and said to the messenger, " Tell Canonicus that 
we do not wish to fight, but if he does, we are ready 
for him." Canonicus was frightened when he saw the 
powder and bullets, for Squanto had told the messenger 
that his English friends-kept the plague boxed up, and let 
it loose when they wished. Canonicus, never having seen 
j)owder and bullets, feared they might be a plague. He 
decided not to fight. 

This incident led the colonists to take greater care. 
Captain Standish required all men and big boys to drill 
regularly. For a time so many were sick that there were 



THE PILGRIMS 



■145 



only twelve in his little army. They built a palisade about 
the village. They smoothed over the graves of their dead 
comrades, and early in the spring sowed wheat over them, 
so that the Indians should not see how many were dead. 
They never allowed any of their number to go far alone. 
When they went to the woods to work, they left men in 
the village on guard, and the workmen took their muskets 
with them. They followed the same practice in going to 




Pilgrims going to church. 

church. The musket was leaned up against the pew, ready 
for use. 

Squanto proved very helpful in the spring. He showed 
the colonists how to catch the fish called alewives, and to 
plant corn in hills, putting a fish in with the seed because the 
soil was so poor. He taught them to catch eels and other 
fish with neither hook nor net. He served as guide on 
many trips in exploring the coast, and also inland. The 
summer passed pleasantly, the sick got well, and the 
weather proved agreeable. The colonists found wild 



146 MILES STAN DISH 

berries and cherries near, and succeeded in adding much 
to their store of food. 

When autumn came and their crops were gathered, Gov- 
ernor Bradford announced a day for thanksgiving to God 
for all their mercies. This day was to be one of feasting 
and religious service. Four or five lusty young men went 
to the woods and shot wild turkeys, and the Indians brought 
venison. For days the women were busy baking and 
making savory dishes for the great feast, when the Pilgrims 
and Massasoit with ninety warriors ate together. Thus 
was celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day. 

The Pilgrims always treated the Indians so justly that 
they had little or no trouble. But other Englishmen under 
Weston came and settled twenty-five miles north of 
Plymouth. They did not understand that Indians should 
be treated with the same regard for justice as white men. 
They tricked and cheated them in trade and thus stirred 
up bitter hatred for all Englishmen. These new colonists 
suffered terribly and finally appealed to our friends at 
Plymouth for help. Captain Standish and eight men went 
to their assistance. When the Indians learned this, some 
of them were afraid, but the chief Pecksuot said: " We will 
kill all of them. We are not afraid of the Little Captain." 
So they pushed on to the house where Captain Standish 
and his men had stopped for the night, and called out to 
him, " Go and live with the women, Little Captain; you are 
no fighter !" Even Captain Standish could not stand such a 
taunt, so he came right out to them. One big Indian 
began to whet his knife, saying, " My knife eats ; it does 
not speak as do your guns." Just then Captain Standish, 
strong and wiry, if he was short, sprang on Pecksuot and 



THE ril.GRlMS 147 

grabbed his knife and stabbed him with his own weapon. 
Two other Indians were killed, then the rest scattered in 
the woods. This was the first time an Indian had been 
killed by the Pilgrims. Captain Standish felt that it was 
necessary for the safety of the colonists. 

About this time, a ship arrived from England with 
supplies for the winter and thirty-five new colonists, mostly 
young men, who were a welcome addition to the fighting 
force under Captain Standish. During the ten years be- 
tween 1620 and 1630, they were joined by about three hun- 
dred new colonists, among whom were some friends left in 
Holland, besides relatives and children from England. The 
first two or three years were years of severe struggle, with 
sickness and hardships, but after that the Pilgrims prospered 
greatly. The Pilgrims cultivated the soil, caught and 
salted fish to ship to Europe, and traded with the Indians 
for furs. They built comfortable homes and schools. 
Everybody was expected to go to church, and the fort 
drum was beaten to announce the time for service. 

The Pilgrims cultivated in their gardens the flowers which 
grew wild in the home country, such as primroses, daffodils, 
crocuses, bluebells, and foxgloves. They also introduced 
many medicinal herbs that are but flaunting weeds to-day, 
such as burdock, tansy, elecampane, pennyroyal, and spear- 
mint. 

Captain Standish and a few friends laid out, nine miles 
north of Plymouth, another town, which he named Dux- 
bury for his old home in England. But whenever there 
was any trouble, the Pilgrims of Plymouth sent for the 
captain, and he was ready to help them. Once in 1637 he 
was called on to lead fifty soldiers from Plymouth in a war 



148 



MILES STAN DISH 




Standish's home at Duxbury. 



against the Pequots. Many settlements that had grown 
11]) round about were greatly troubled by these Indians, 

who resented the en- 
croachments upon 
their land. They 
kidnaped children, 
murdered men work- 
ing in the woods or 
fields, and burned 
crops or buildings. 
The colonists deter- 
mined to unite and 
put a stop to such deeds, if possible. They raised an 
army of two hundred and fifty men, part of whom marched 
on the Pequot village and surrounded it at night. They 
took possession of the two entrances through the palisade, 
and set fire to the whole village. Nearly all the Indians 
there, six or seven hundred, perished. It was a dreadful 
thing' to do, but it freed the colonists of New England from 
trouble with the Indians for forty years. 

Captain Standish married the second time, and had 
four sons and one daughter. He had a fine house, and 
was surrounded with good friends. He returned to Eng- 
land on business twice, but each time was glad to get 
back to New England, where he died October 13, 1655. 
"He was greatly mourned," says Bradford, "by both 
Indians and settlers." 

Topical Outline. — Puritans and Separatists. Some Separatists from 
Scrooby go to Holland and are called Pilgrims. Why the Pilgrims 
left Holland for America. The landing at Plymouth. The great sick- 
ness. Visit of Samoset and Squanto. Treaty with Massasoit. Home 
life at Plymouth. Old age of Miles Standish. 



THE PILGRIMS 



149 



For Written Work. — I. Write a paragraph telling why the Pil- 
grims did not wish to remain in Holland. II. Describe the life on 
board the Mayflower. III. Describe tlie first Thanksgiving Day. 

Map Work. — Locate Scrooby (map, p. 137) ; Leyden ; Delft Haven; 
Plymouth in England; Cape Cod (map, p. 153); Plymouth in New 
England. 

Memory Selections. — Hemans, " Landing of the Pilgrims " ; Whit- 
tier, '• The Corn Song." 




Relics of Miles Standish. 



JOHN WINTHROP AND THE PURITANS 

We recall that the Puritans were people who objected 
to certain forms and ceremonies of the Church of England. 
Unlike the Pilgrim Separatists, they remained within the 
church, hoping in time to " purify " it. As the years 
passed, they became more critical and bold, and rapidly 
gained in numbers. King James disliked them, and prob- 
ably feared their power. When it was reported to him that 
these Puritans openly refused to conform to the Church of 
England's regulations, the king declared he would " make 
them conform, or he would harry them out of the land." 
As a result of this effort, the English jails filled rapidly 
with men of wealth, social standing, and blameless lives. 

This treatment so embittered the people of the country 
that they voted for Puritans to sit in the House of Com- 
mons. Puritanism then became a great political as well 
as a religious power. Soon after Charles I became king, 
it was clearly apparent that no church reforms could be 
brought about under his arbitrary government. Men in 
high places professed to believe in " the divine right of 
kings." This was interpreted to mean that to question 
the king's authority was like questioning God's authority. 
Puritan niinisters were arrested and thrown into prison. 
Persecution only strengthened the Puritans. Men saw 
that war would surely come before the question could ever 
be settled. Some Puritans preferred to leave the country ; 

150 



THE PURITANS 151 

Others stayed in England, and a few years later conducted 
a successful war against King Charles, and set up for r. 
time a government by the people. 

Many members of the London Company were Puritans, 
and in 1624 the king took away their charter. These men 
had for many years been interested in American coloniza- 
tion, and when the trouble with the king increased, some 
of them, with other Puritans, decided that the American 
wilderness was a better place of residence than England. 
They knew it was necessary to get a charter. They 
quietly went about their work and drew up one, which 
the king signed, creating a corporation under the legal 
style of " the Governor and Company of Massachusetts 
Bay in New England." The officers of this company 
were to be a governor, a deputy governor, and a council 
of eighteen assistants, to be elected annually by the com- 
pany. They were given the power to make such laws as 
they liked for their settlers, provided these were not con- 
trary to England's laws. Nothing was said in the charter 
about religion, and that left the company free to regulate 
such matters. The settlers were to enjoy all rights and 
privileges of English subjects. 

The company bought a large tract of land in New Eng- 
land and were given the power to settle and to govern it, 
and to trade with the natives and with the mother country. 

John Winthrop was elected governor. He was at that 
time about forty years of age, and was a man of great 
piety and superior education. Governor Winthrop and 
the other leading members of the company were mostly 
men of wealth. They agreed to go themselves to New 
England, and to take the charter and government of the 



152 JOHN WINTHROP 

company there with them. Their preparations were on a 
large scale, although quietly and secretly made, for they 
feared that the king might prevent their leaving the coun- 
try. They sent some agents and servants to New England 
in 1629 with cattle, farm implements, and seeds. These 
servants were also to build houses to be ready when the 
company arrived, but they did little work, and allowed 
much seed to be wasted and many cows and horses to die 
of neglect. 

Late in March, 1630, a fleet of eleven vessels with a 
thousand settlers on board sailed for the New World. One 
of the ships in this fleet was the Mayflozvcr that came out 
ten years before with the band of Pilgrims. Most of the 
ships, however, were much larger. Governor Winthrop kept 
a journal, and in it we can read much about that long sea 
voyage. They were delayed many days in English waters 
after embarking, and they encountered severe storms on 
the way. Here is one entry in the journal: — 

" Lord's Day May 2nd. The tempest continued all the 
day, the sea raged and tossed us exceedingly : yet through 
God's mercy we were very comfortable, and few or none 
sick but had opportunity to keep the Sabbath, and Mr. 
Phillips preached twice this day." 

On the seventieth day out from England, land was 
sighted, and on the seventy-sixth day the flagship came 
to anchor in Massachusetts Bay about five in the morning. 
Two pieces of ordnance were shot off, and the small boats 
were lowered into the water ready for landing. About an 
hour later, Mr. Allerton of Plymouth came up in his 
shallop. He was on his way up the coast when he saw the 
friendly ships from England. The Puritan settlers landed 



THE PURITANS 



153 



on a beautiful June day when strawberries were ripe and 
flowers abundant. A hospitable welcome for the new- 
comers was extended by all the English living along the 
coast from Salem to Plymouth. A group of houses, in- 




•rfniist::!.!.-"^. F^ Jlftwich^/^V 




THE 



CapeAnn ]vi ASS A CH US ETTS 

Danvi Ms^^,,, -'^ COAST 

PoiicomI ,' ■ . u ^alem 5(,^^^ op „,^^5 

LoncqctL Li'Xlngton Sauyus 

"'''7,/'''''^'i ,1 \i,..„ -y.-iSSACriUSETTS 



BAY 



eluding the governor's house, had been built near the mouth 
of the Charles River. The village was called Charlestown. 
Governor Winthrop did not like the location, but across 
the river was an attractive point of land, a club-shaped 
peninsula on which were three hills. The Indians called 
it Shaw-mut, but the English called it Tri Mountain, from 



154 



JOHN WIXTHROP 



which is derived Tremont. On this peninsula the main 
settlement was made, and named Boston. 

Among the colonists were skilled workmen, — carpenters, 
brickmakers, stone cutters, iron workers, farmers, gar- 
deners, engineers, and surveyors, as well as ministers, 
teachers, and doctors, and soldiers. They were supplied 
abundantly with tools, farm implements, seeds and grains, 
live stock, and military equipment. We know from their 

descendants that they 
had many luxuries 
in furniture and table 
furnishings. They 
were a highly intel- 
ligent band of people, 
most of the leaders 
being Oxford and 
Cambridge University 
graduates. They 
were united in race, 
language, and reli- 
gion. They were suc- 
cessful business men who were willing to sacrifice money 
for religion. They wished to found a great commonwealth 
based upon the practice of their religious belief. Within 
a year another thousand settlers joined them, and several 
towns were soon laid out. 

Governor Winthrop's son, a young man of twenty-two, 
was drowned the day after the location of Boston was 
determined on. A very old record gives this account of 
the sad accident. "The very day on which he went on 
shore in New England, he and the principal officers of the 




Colonial sideboard. 



THE PURITANS I 55 

ship, walking out to a place now called Northfield, to view 
the Indians' wigwams, they saw on the other side of the 
river a small canoe : He would have had one of the com- 
pany swim over and fetch it, rather than walk several 
miles on foot, it being very hot weather ; but none of the 
party could swim but himself; and so he plunged in, and 
as he was swimming over was taken with the cramps a 
few rods from the shore, and drowned." 

In a letter to his wife left behind in England, Governor 
Winthrop wrote : " God has sorely grieved us by taking our 
son Henry. I cannot speak further of this subject." In 
another letter that same month of July, 1630, he says : 
" Be not discouraged by anything thou shalt hear from 
hence, for I see no cause to repente of our coming hither, 
and thou seest God can bring safe hither even the tenderest 
women and the youngest children. Be sure to be warm 
clothed and to have a store of fresh provisions, — meal, eggs 
put up in salt, butter, oatmeal, pease, and fruits, — and a large 
chest or two, well locked, to keep these provisions in. . , . 
Remember to come well furnished with linen, woolens, 
and bedding, as well as candles and soap." From such a 
list we see that John Winthrop and his friends needed 
much the same things that make people comfortable to-day. 

It is always diflficult to estimate in advance the amount 
of food necessary to keep even a small number of people 
a year. In those days it was even more difficult because 
of poor facilities for preserving from decay such articles a.s 
are now kept in cold storage. The winter of 1630-163 1 
was one bordering on famine for the Puritan settlers. 
Their arrival in June was too late for crops to be raised 
from seed then planted, so by February their food was 



156 



JOHN WINTHROP 



reduced to clams, mussels, groundnuts, and acorns, with a 
handful of meal each day. We are told that Governor 
Winthrop gave his last bit of meal to a poor man with 
a family. Then the governor ordered that a day be set 
apart " to seek help from the Lord with fasting and 
prayer. " That very February day a ship from England 




Arrival of the supply ship. 

with a cargo of provisions came in sight. Then a day of 
thanksgiving was appointed " for the Lord's great mercy 
in saving us from starvation." 

Another occasion for giving thanks was in November, 
163 1, when the governor's wife and children landed safe 
from England. The same ship brought the families of 
several other leading men of the colony. The governor 
had ready a commodious house in town, besides a country 



THE PURITANS 



157 



place of six hundred acres, called Ten Hills, where he was 
building another house. Winthrop records in his journal 
that soon after the arrival of his wife. Governor William 
Bradford came over from Plymouth to pay a visit of con- 
gratulation to his much-beloved friend, the governor of 
Massachusetts, and to extend a welcome to his wife. 

Compact little villages were built, and named Boston, 
Charlestown, Dorchester, Roxbury, and Watertown, all 
names suggestive of English 
associations and beloved mem- 
ories. Each village contained 
a meetinghouse centrally 
located, which served as a place 
for worship and for public 
meetings. The houses were 
arranged along one principal 
street, and the small farms 
stretched back in the rear. 
Many men owned larger tracts 
of land at a distance from 
town. Each village was defended by a blockhouse in 
which people might seek refuge in case of an attack by 
the Indians ; some of the villages were also surrounded by 
a palisade, as was Plymouth. The houses might seem 
lacking in conveniences of our modern homes, but very 
early in New England history the houses were built of 
brick and stone, and had a stately, commodious appearance. 

At first all people in the settlements were like-minded 
on religious subjects. As the colony grew, people of other 
beliefs came. This made trouble. The Puritans had suf- 
fered so much for religious belief, being persecuted at home 




A blockhouse 



158 



JOHN WINTIIROP 



and compelled to face the hardships of living in a wilder- 
ness, for the sake of freedom in worship, that they wanted 
only people of like mind in their colony. It was decided 
that only Puritan church members should vote, and this 
caused trouble with men like Roger Williams, who believed 
that such restriction was wrong. 

At first the governor and his assistants made all laws ; 
later a General Court was created. This consisted of dele- 
gates elected by the church members of each 
township every year. This body was given 
the power of making laws, as well as levy- 
ing taxes. Many severe laws were 
passed, some of which seem very queer 
to us to-day. One 
people should 
dress according 
to their means ; 
if they wore rich 
clothing, they 
must prove that they could afford it. The records show 
that one Alice Flynt was accused of wearing a silk hood. 
She proved that she had two hundred pounds in money, and 
the complaint was dropped. People that had done wrong 
were punished by being publicly whipped, or put in the 
stocks, or a pillory. Oftentimes an offender had to stand in 
a conspicuous place labeled with the name of his offense. 
The principal men of the colony said that if the people 
who came among them found fault with their customs and 
laws, they might go elsewhere, for the land was large. 
They believed firmly in education for all. Harvard College 
was established in 1636, and every colonist was taxed a 




stocks. 



THE PURITANS I 59 

measure of corn every year for its support. The Boston 
Latin School was early founded, and within a few yeais a 
printing press was doing good work. 

The remarkable success of the Massachusetts colony is 
largely due to the wisdom of Winthrop, who was governor 
for the first nineteen years. He was even-tempered and 
just in his dealings with the colonists, and was especially 
kind to the poor among his people. One day a man was 
brought before him charged with stealing wood. Instead 
of punishing the culprit, Governor Winthrop told him to 
help himself to the abundant supply of wood the governor 
had, until the cold season was passed. Winthrop was also 
a man of temperate habits and would not allow wine to be 
served at his table, in order that he might set before the 
colonists an example of sobriety and plain living. John 
Fiske says : "John Winthrop was a man of remarkable 
strength and beauty of character, grave and modest, in- 
telligent and scholarlike, intensely religious, and endowed 
with a moral sensitiveness that was almost morbid, yet 
liberal withal in his opinions, and charitable in disposition." 

In 1692 the older colony of Plymouth was united to the 
Massachusetts colony. The name Massachusetts was orig- 
inally taken by English explorers from a tribe of Indians 
living in that vicinity, and we are told means Blue Hills. 

Topical Outline. — Puritans who were not Separatists. Tiie Ma.s- 
sachusetts charter. How the colony was planted. Severe laws. Who 
were allowed to vote. Schools. 

For Written Work. — Tell of Mrs Winthrop's preparatit)n to come to 
America. 

Map Work. — Locate Salem. Chariestown, Boston, Cambridge, Dor- 
chester, Watertown. 



ROGER WILLIAMS — THE SETTLEMENT OF 
RHODE ISLAND 

Among the Puritans there was a young Welsh minister 
who had a great deal of trouble. His name was Roger 
Williams, and he was born about 1600. He was a bright 
boy and was sent to the famous Charter House School, 
and later to Cambridge University. In some respects Wil- 
liams outstripped most of his schoolmates. He did not 
do all kinds of work equally well, but he excelled in lan- 
guage, public speaking, and debating. He did the tilings 
he had a taste for, and neglected some things that might 
have been good training for him. 

He was at first a Puritan, but soon became more of a 
Separatist. As a young man he had a strong objection to 
making a formal oath ; that is, kissing the Bible and swear- 
ing that he was telling the truth. He said he could tell 
the truth without such a ceremony. It is said that a prop- 
erty of several thousand pounds might have been his, had 
he been willing to take an oath in the form required by 
the government of England. This shows us how sincere 
he was in his beliefs, which were so often contrary to those 
of the people in authority. 

In 163 1, very soon after his graduation from Cambridge, 
he was obliged to flee from England to escape imprison- 
ment for violating the rules of the English Church. He 
went to Massachusetts, where he had many friends. He 

160 



SETTLEMENT OF RHODE ISLAND l6l 

very soon made known his objections to many things in the 
practice of the Puritans among whom he had come to Hve. 
In a sermon one day he said thciL Llie government of Mas- 
sachusetts had no right to require people to go to church. 
This was shocking to many. They had always been used 
to such rules, and believed people could not be safely left 
to choose for themselves whether or not they should go to 
church. The Massachusetts colony had been planted by 
Puritans so that they could practice their particular reli- 
gious beliefs, and they required all people to obey their 
laws. Roger Williams declared that all religious beliefs 
should receive protection, and that the government should 
not make laws regulating religious practice. This is what 
people in America believe to-day, but at that time a man 
who taught such things was considered dangerous. 

Just as surely as Roger Williams entered a pulpit, he 
would say something unusual. This would be talked over 
by men and women, and the more it was talked about, the 
more serious it became. One day he shocked people by 
saying he did not believe that the church should require 
people to return thanks after a meal, besides asking God's 
blessing on it before they began to eat. He said men 
should thank God only when they felt thankful, otherwise 
it was empty form. 

In 1634, the Massachusetts people got news, from Eng- 
land that the king was likely to take their charter away, 
and that a general government for all New England was t j 
be formed more strictly according to the king's wishe::. 
This alarmed all the people, and the General Court in Sep- 
tember undertook to provide for the public safety. They 
made military preparations to defend their charter. Train- 



[62 ROGER WILLIAMS 

bands were drilled, muskets and ammunition were secured, 
and defenses were strengthened. 

The General Court went still further and declared that 
divine wrath had been provoked by the sins of the people. 
These sins were the wearing of silver and gold ornaments, 
laces, and other extravagant things. Laws were passed 
forbidding these things, as well as ruffs and beaver hats. 
Slashed clothes were not to be worn " other than one slash 
in each sleeve and another in the back." " Long hair and 
other fashions prejudicial to the general good " were for- 
bidden. The use of tobacco socially and in public or 
before strangers, was made an offense. If it was taken 
secretly or medicinally, the Court did not object. The 
Court also set aside the eighteenth day of September as a 
sokinn fast day, when all people should attend church. 

Roger Williams preached in one church that day on 
"Eleven public sins." He said that God's wrath had not 
been provoked by longhair, slashes, or lace, but by the gov- 
ernment's enforcing a religious oath on irreligious people, 
by their requiring all people to pay a tax to support reli- 
gious worship, and by allowing only church members 
to vote. He denounced in this sermon many of the 
practices that he had previously objected to, and told the 
people that their peace could be made with God by grant- 
ing protection to all religions. 

This sermon was the beginning of serious trouble. 
Williams was summoned before the General Court and 
accused of seditious utterances. He was reprimanded and 
allowed to go. But soon a little book was circulating, in 
which Williams said that the land belonged to the Indians ; 
that King Charles had no right to gram it or sell it to any 



SEITLEMENT OF RHODE ISLAND 163 

settlers, for it was not his. The officers feared that the 
king would deprive them of the land and of their homes 
if a report of this reached him ; they were more afraid. of 
the king than of any one else just then. Williams would 
not take back what he had said, but continued to say more 
on the same subject. 

The General Court tried him, and sentenced him to 
banishment on October 9, 1635. He was given six weeks 
to leave the country. But he was taken sick, and some of 
his friends asked to have the time extended. The General 
Court then said he might stay until spring, if he would not 
preach. This was agreed to, but his friends persisted in 
going to his home. They often went in large numbers. 
Roger Williams could not keep still ; he talked, and when 
he talked, it was on those subjects that were vital to him 
and forbidden by the General Court. This practice be- 
came known and the Court wished to get rid of him, so 
they devised a scheme by which they would seize him and 
get him on board a ship that was to sail in April for 
England. Williams got knowledge of this plan, and he 
fled in midwinter to the Indian country. 

The experience of this heroic young man in that mid- 
winter journey of fourteen weeks was very bitter. He 
felt the necessity of keeping away from the settlements so 
that the officers of the General Court would not be able 
to follow him. This made it necessary for him to break 
his own way through deep, trackless snow. At first he 
traveled by night, and hid during the day. He tells us in 
his books that he carried an ax, and when numb with cold 
would chop wood and kindle a fire. His bed for many 
days was made of branches cut from pine and other ever- 



1 64 



ROGER WILLIAMS 



green trees. When he reached the village of Massasoit, 
sixty or seventy miles away, he received a cordial welcome. 
Roger Williams had always been an excellent language 
student, and as soon as he reached the New World, he 
began to study the language of Massasoit's tribe, and soon 




Roger Williams travels through the woods. 

became an expert in its use. This skill was very useful 
to him during this winter of exile, for he began at once to 
teach the Indians of Massasoit's village the essentials of 
the Christian religion. 

In the spring, Williams received a message from Gov- 
ernor Winthrop, advising him to move on toward the 
Narragansett Bay and intimating that he would be undis- 



SETTLEMENT OF RHODE ISLAND 165 

turbed if he followed this friendly suggestion. He did so, 
and with five friends who had joined him began to build 
homes on the east bank of the bay at Seekonk. This was 
within the jurisdiction of Massasoit, who was an ally of the 
people of Plymouth, and Williams was soon asked to move 
from there so as not to disturb the government of Plym- 
outh. Again he patiently picked up his belongings and 
crossed to the west side of the bay into the territory of the 
Narragansetts. He bought a tract of land from the Indians 
and secured their consent to lay out a settlement. This he 
called Providence, "in gratitude for God's merciful provi- 
dence to him in his distress." It was not long before he 
had a home to which his wife and two children could be 
brought by some friends. 

Providence was founded on the principle of full tolera- 
tion for all religions. Very soon it was the refuge for 
Quakers and others who were not welcome in Massachu- 
setts. Not only did Providence become a haven for those 
seeking religious freedom, but it was a place to which 
many of the turbulent people of Massachusetts and Con- 
necticut came. 

The government established was what is called a pure 
democracy ; that is, where all people share directly in mak- 
ing laws. Another group of settlers from Massachusetts, 
led by Anne Hutchinson, founded Newport on the island 
at the entrance to the bay. In 1643, Williams went to 
England and got a charter for both settlements ; and 
twenty years later another charter for the whole of Rhode 
Island was secured. 

Williams' greatest service was in his relations with the 
Indians. His influence over the Narragansetts prevented 



1 66 



ROGER WILLIAMS 



them from making an alliance with the Pequot Indians 
in their war against the New England colonists (i»age 148). 

Roger Williams was 
a remarkably unselfish 
and generous man. 
He never bore any ill 
will against the people 
of Massachusetts for 
their treatment of him, 
and later in life made 
many friendly visits to 
the cities of Boston 
and Salem. He could 
boast of the warm friendship 
of some of the finest men of 
the seventeenth century, among 
whom were Milton and Crom- 
well. One writer of his time 
said of him, " Roger Williams is a 
godly and zealous man, but he has 
a windmill in his head." It is safe 
to say that he lived ahead of his 
times ; in a way he was a prophet. 

Williams had a rugged constitution, and at the age of 
seventy-six, when King Philip's War broke out, he ac- 
cepted a captain's commission and drilled a company of 
soldiers at Providence, besides superintending the erec- 
tion of fortifications for the town. He died at the ripe 
age of eighty-four. 

Topical Outline. — Roger Williams came to America and became 
a popular preacher. He objected to the law that only church members 




Roger Williams and 
the Indians. 



SETTLEMENT OF RHODE ISLAND 



167 



could vote. He said that the king of England had no right to 
the land of New England, for it belonged to the Indians. The 
government of Mas.sachiisetts considered him dangerous and tried to 
arrest him in order to send him to England. Williams escaped and 
lived one winter with the Indians. He founded Providence, Rhode 
Island. He had great influence with the Indians. 

Map Work, r— Locate Providence and Newport (map, p. 153). 




Indian moccasins. 



HENRY HUDSON'S EXPLORATIONS 

For nearly a century after the discovery of America by 
Columbus, Spain had been foremost among European 
nations in exploring and conquering the New World. She 
had established permanent settlements, and had won great 
wealth from these conquests. But Spain's treatment of 
her provinces in Central and South America was cruel, 
for her purpose was to get from them all that she could, 
and give little in return. By the end of the sixteenth 
century, however, her power had begun to wane. In a 
hundred fights, brave sailors like Drake and Hawkins had 
" singed the beard " of the Spanish king, so that finally, in 
1588, when the Spanish Armada was defeated by the Eng- 
lish in a great naval battle in the English Channel, Spain's 
control of the New World was greatly weakened. 

From this time on, the record of exploration and coloni- 
zation was written largely by the English, the French, and 
the Dutch. It is with the Dutch in America that our 
story now has to deal. Brave little Holland had won in- 
dependence from Spain and was rapidly becoming one of 
the great commercial nations of Europe. She had gained 
possessions in the East Indies, and had developed a profit- 
able trade with them in tea, coffee, and spices. There were 
then two ocean routes to the Indies — one through the 
Strait of Magellan, controlled by Spain, and one around 
the Cape of Good Hope, controlled by Portugal. Both 

168 



DUTCH EXPLORATIONS I 69 

routes were very long and very dangerous, and both 
Holland and England were searching for a shorter one to 
eastern Asia. 

Now about this time there was a famous sailor in Eng- 
land, whose name was Henry Hudson. For generations 
his forefathers had been seafaring men, and his grand- 
father was one of the founders of the first English com- 
pany formed for the purpose of trade and exploration. 
This was called the Muscovy Company. In 1607 and 
1608, Henry Hudson, sailing for this London trading 
company, had made two daring attempts to reach the 
East Indies by a passage across the Arctic Ocean. He 
reasoned rightly that such a route would be shorter than 
the others ; but he failed because of the vast amount of 
floating ice. 

However, when he returned to England he found him- 
self famous as a hardy adventurer, for he had sailed within 
ten degrees of the north pole, farther north than any one 
else up to that time. Meanwhile, there had been organ- 
ized in Holland a trading company similar to the Muscovy 
Company in London, and this Dutch East India Company 
was anxious to find a man who would sail for them. They 
made Hudson an offer to command one of their ships. 
After some hesitancy, since he had 'received other offers, 
notably one from the king of France, he entered the 
employ of this company. They equipped for him a little 
vessel of eighty tons' burden, clumsily built, and about the 
size of a small pleasure yacht of to-day ; scarcely a ship 
which we should think of using on an ocean voyage. 

In this ship, called the Half-Moon, Hudson set sail from 
Amsterdam, Holland, in a bold effort to reach China and 



I/O 



IlEXRY HUDSON 



the Spice Islands by sailing around the north of Europe. 
This was in April, 1609, not long after the Pilgrims 
sought refuge in Holland. Early in May, he doubled the 
North Cape on the coast of Norway ; but he soon found 
the ice floes and the ice barriers so great that it seemed 
impossible to proceed. Hudson's crew rebelled and re- 
fused to go farther on this route, so Hudson turned and 




Hudson receives his commission from the Dutch East India Company. 

sailed directly west. He had been ordered by the com- 
pany to return to Holland if he failed to find a northeast 
passage, but like many other brave men he was not dis- 
couraged by the difficulties he had met, and was all the 
more eager to accomplish the purpose of his expedition. 

Hudson had a letter from his friend John Smith, of the 
Jamestown colony, which he had received just before sail- 
ing from Amsterdam. In this letter Smith said that he 
had explored the coast of America in the region of Chesa- 



DUTCH EXPLORATIONS 171 

peake Bay, and that there was no passage to India 
through this bay ; but that he believed there was one 
farther north. Hudson therefore determined to seek a 
northwest passage. In a short time he reached New- 
foundland, and sailed along the coast of Maine. Here he 
landed at Penobscot Bay and refitted his little ship. The 
foremast had been carried away, and the sails were tattered 
and torn. He cut down a pine tree for the foremast, and 
otherwise repaired the ship ; then he started for the south. 
He touched at Cape Cod and then, sailing south and west, 
did not sight land again until he reached Chesapeake Bay. 
He then turned north and carefully examined the shore 
until he reached the great harbor which is now known as 
New York Bay. 

He was not the first white man to visit this bay. Eighty- 
five years before, the Italian explorer Verrazano, sailing 
under the French flag, had entered New York Bay and 
had explored it somewhat hastily. It is probable, too, 
that some time later French traders sailed into the bay 
and up the Hudson, but as they were traders only, and not 
explorers, they left little or no record of their explorations. 

Hudson spent a few days in New York harbor, and there 
met Indians who were at first hostile to him. Some of his 
men, while out in a small boat, were attacked by the 
Indians, and one of the sailors was killed. Later the In- 
dians became more friendly, or less fearful, and flocked 
to see the strange white people, bringing with them tobacco 
and fruit, which they traded for knives and bright beads. 
Hudson kept his men busy taking soundings and locating 
the channels, until finally he moved up the river toward 
the Palisades and into the Catskill country. He believed 



1/2 HENRY HUDSON 

and hoped that this was not a riv^er, but a strait. And 
it is not strange that he was deceived, for the water is 
salt for many miles up the Hudson, and the tide rises and 
falls as far as Albany. So Hudson, thinking that he had 
at last found the Northwest Passage to India, sailed up 
the river as far as the present city of Albany. Then, as 
the water grew fresher, he was forced to believe that this 
was a river, and not a strait connecting the two oceans. 

It is interesting to note that during this same summer of 
1609, the great French explorer Champlain first entered 
the present state of New York. As we shall see in a later 
chapter, Champlain fought a battle with the Iroquois which 
had far-reaching results, for it made these powerful Indians 
enemies of the French ever afterward, and always friendly 
with the Dutch. 

Hudson turned again and sailed down the river, landing 
at several places. At one place, possibly the present city 
of Catskill, Hudson went ashore with an Indian chief who 
treated him very cordially and took him to his wigwam, 
which was a circular hut built of bark. Here a great feast 
was prepared in his honor. The Indians sent out some of 
their warriors to hunt game, and they brought in some 
wild pigeons. As a rare delicacy, also, a fat dog was killed 
and roasted. In this village the explorers found great 
stores of Indian corn and beans drying in the sun. 

Hudson was very much pleased with the country, and 
said it was the most delightful land he had ever seen. The 
Indians were, on the whole, friendly with Hudson ; they 
exchanged their copper ornaments and furs for the trinkets 
of the sailors. Thus for over a month, in the mellow 
autumnal sunshine, Hudson and his brave adventurers 



DUTCH EXPLORATIONS 1 73 

explored the great river ; but early in October, warned by 
the approach of stormy weather, he turned the bluff bows 
of the Half-Moon homeward and sailed directly for Eng- 
land, landing at a point known as Dartmouth. 

From here Hudson sent a report of his discoveries to 
Holland, and asked for men and money to equip a new 
ship to make further explorations. The Dutch company 



«^ 




% 






jgi wJL\ f\ 



W^' ^ 



From ail old print. 




The Half-Moon on the Hudson. 



received his reports, and asked him to come to Holland to 
make a personal statement of his adventures. The king 
of England, however, thought that if there were going to 
be any further discoveries by Hudson, they should be 
under the English flag, and he refused to let Hudson go 
to Holland. So the next spring the great navigator set 
sail again for the west in an English ship manned by 
English sailors. He entered and explored the great bay 
which bears his name. 



174 HENRY HUDSON 

In the early fall of 1610 his ship was locked in the ice 
floes of this bay, and remained so until the spring of 161 1. 
Hudson wished to continue his explorations, for he believed 
that he had at last found a strait connecting the Atlantic 
and the Pacific, but the crew grew mutinous. There was 
on the ship a young man whom Hudson had befriended. 
This ungrateful wretch led the mutiny, and as a result, 
Hudson with his young son and seven sailors who were ill 
were set adrift in a small boat upon that desolate sea, while 
the rest of the cowardly crew set sail for England. When 
they reached there they were promptly arrested, and some 
of them hanged. A ship was sent out from England to 
rescue Hudson, but he was never found. 

Of all the great-hearted adventurers who sought a north- 
west passage to the Indies, Hudson is doubtless the greatest. 
He failed in his attempt, but he accomplished far-reaching 
results. He discovered new coasts, and he found a 
mighty river and a great sea, whose names will forever 
remind us of his daring deeds. He won for the Dutch a 
new and fertile country, and laid for them and for their 
English successors the foundation of that extensive and 
profitable trade in furs which was for two centuries one of 
their chief sources of wealth and commercial prosperity. 

Topical Outline. — Spain's waning power. Other nations interested 
in explorations. Why the Dutch wanted a new route to Asia. The 
voyage in the Half-Moon. Description of the voyage up Hudson River. 
Return to Europe. Interference of English king. English expedition 
to Hudson Bay. Tragicendingof Hudson's life. What he accomplished. 

Map Work. — Locate Holland (map, p. 18). Norway, North Cape, 
Hudson River, (map. p. 175). Fort Orange (Albany), Hudson Bay 
(P- 1)1) • Trace the two routes known at this time by which the Dutch 
could sail from Holland to the East Indies. 



PETER MINUIT — A DUTCH COLONY IN THE 
NEW WORLD 



When the reports 
had discovered reac 
pleased, for they 
saw that great 
profits could be 
made from the 
fvir trade. In the 
next few years 
several ships were 
sent over to trade 
with the Indians, 
and they usually 
returned laden 
with choice car- 
goes of furs. 
One of these 
traders. Captain 
Adrian Block, lost 
his ship by fire 
soon after reach- 
ing Manhattan 
Island, and was 
compelled to pass 
the winter of 



of the pleasant land which Hudson 
hed Holland, the Dutch were much 




New Netherland. 



175 



\y6 PETER MINUIT 

1613-1614 on this island. The log huts which sheltered 
his men there were the first houses built by white people 
on the spot where New York city now stands. In the 
spring, he and his companions explored the rivers and 
bays in the vicinity. 

The Dutch East India Company cared chiefly for its 
possessions in the far East, and when no western passage 
to the Indies was found through the new continent, its 
directors lost interest in further explorations. However, 
a few shrewd merchants in Amsterdam determined to 
profit by the rich trade in furs which they foresaw could 
be established, so they formed a new company which they 
called the New Netherland Company. 

The agents of this company began at once to establish 
trading posts along the Hudson River and on Long Island. 
The first one was located on Manhattan Island, where 
Block and his men had passed the winter. Another was 
built on the remains of an old French fort just below the 
present city of Albany. But the little garrison soon found 
that the place was not suitable, and the post was moved to 
a new location which the Indians had named " Tawasen- 
tha"or"the abode of the dead." Here a great treaty 
was made with the chiefs of the Iroquois, by which the 
Dutch agreed to give the Indians powder and muskets in 
exchange for furs and skins. This solemn pledge of 
friendship and league of peace was never broken, and the 
Indian allies for many years afterward protected the 
Dutch from the French and Indians in Canada. 

Later this post also was abandoned, and a new location 
chosen on the hills within the present limits of the city of 
Albany. The new fort was called Fort Orange, and it 



A DUICH COLONY IN THE NEW WORLD 



177 



soon grew to be an important trading post, for it stood 
near the junction of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, great 
natural roads of commerce. 

As the fur trade grew rapidly, it was thought best in 
Holland to form another company with greater powers, so 
in 1 62 1 the government chartered the West India Company, 
and gave it exclusive control in America. In 1623, a ship- 




The purchase of Manhattan. 

load of colonists came over and settled in the vicinity of 
New York Bay. It soon became evident that the company 
should have some officer to represent it in this new terri- 
tory, so in 1626 Peter Minuit was sent over as governor. 

Minuit was a wise and good man, of firm temper, and 
active and fair in his dealings. One of his first acts wcs 
to call the Indians together and purchase from them the 
island of Manhattan. He paid them for this island, in beads, 



178 PETER MINUIT 

ribbons, and other things, about twenty-four dollars (a fair 
price at that time), and established friendly relations with 
them. Soon there grew up on the island a little settle- 
ment which he called New Amsterdam. A windmill was 
built for grinding corn, a storehouse and a little Dutch 
church soon followed, and to protect the village, a log fort 
was erected on the lower end of the island. 

But the colony grew slowly, and the company found it 
necessary to adopt some plan to encourage farmers to 
come to New Netherland. This was the beginning of 
what is known as the patroon system of land grants. Any 
one who would bring fifty people to the colony was given a 
tract of land sixteen miles on one side, or eight miles on 
both sides of a river. The patroon had to purchase the 
land from the Indians, furnish his colonists with farming 
tools and stock, and provide a minister and schoolmaster 
for the estate. Each farmer, in return, had to pay to his 
landlord, the patroon, a fixed rent, and had to agree to live 
on the estate a certain number of years. His grain had to 
be ground at the patroon's mill, and he could hunt and 
fish only by the consent of the patroon. In this way many 
people were induced to emigrate, and there soon sprang 
up along the Hudson River and on the shores of Long 
Island many thrifty little villages. 

You may like to know how these houses looked. They 
were built partly of wood, and partly of yellow and black 
bricks brought over from Holland and arranged hke 
checkerboards. They had steep gable roofs, and usually 
on the top of each was a weathercock, for the honest 
Dutch farmers liked to know in which direction the wind 
was blowing. Inside, the living room, with its fireplace 



• A DUTCH COLONY IN THE NEW WORLD 



179 



and its shining rows of pewter plates, was cozy and com- 
fortable. The floors were sanded, for there were no carpets 
in those days, and everything was kept sweet and clean, 
for the women were thrifty housekeepers. Outside were 
bright tulip beds and gardens which were the pride of the 
farmer and his wife. 

Minuit was friendly and just in his dealings with the 
Indians, and they liked to come to the settlements to trade. 
Sometimes, when money was scarce, beaver skins and 
wampum were used in its place to purchase goods. This 
wampum was a kind of money which the Indians used ; it 
consisted of strings of beads made from shells. The 
Indians made use of it, also, in another important way. 
They could neither read nor write as we do now, but 
they needed some way to send messages or to keep record 




Wampum belt. 

of their treaties, so wampum belts were woven from these 
strings of bright-colored beads, and were sent from tribe 
to tribe as we send letters to-day. Some of these treaty 
belts may be seen to-day in the State Capitol at Albany. 

Minuit took other measures to make the colony pros- 
perous. He soon established a thriving trade in lumber, 
and encouraged the building of ships. One of these ships 
was the largest that had been built up to this time in 
America. But in these enterprises Minuit used money 
that the directors of the West India Company thought 



i8o 



PETER MINUIT 



ought to come into their pockets. It was thought, also, 
that Minuit favored the patroons, who had been forbidden 
to engage in the fur trade, but who had quietly won their 
share of it, so he was recalled to Holland and a new 
governor sent over in his place. 

The colony had prospered under his wise and honest 
rule, and he was, on the whole, the best of the four Dutch 
governors. 

Topical Outline. — The Dutch in New York. First settlement at New 
Amsterdam. Other towns settled by the Dutch. Peter Minuit and pur- 
chase of Manhattan Island. Friendly relations with the Indians. The 
fur trade and the use of wampum. Establishment of the patroon system. 
Description of Dutch homes. Prosperity of the colony. 

For Written Work. — I. Describe a Dutch home in New Amsterdam. 
II. Write a paragraph about the patroon system. 




Dutch women. 



PETER STUYVESANT, THE LAST OF THE 
DUTCH GOVERNORS 

During the next fourteen years the colony of New 
Netherland had a hard struggle for existence. Its affairs 
were managed by two governors who were neither honest 
nor capable. They were constantly in trouble with some 
of the neighboring tribes of Indians, whom they treated 
unfairly and often cruelly. But in 1647 the West India 
Company sent as governor a man who had proved his 
efficiency by long years of faithful service. Peter 
Stuyvesant was a man of good education, brave and honest, 
and loyal to the interests of his employers, but he was hot- 
tempered and harsh in his dealings with those who he 
thought were his inferiors. Because of this he was un- 
popular, and his enemies called him " Headstrong Peter." 
He had lost a leg in the wars, and now stumped proudly 
about on a wooden one, laced with silver bands. This 
gave him the name of " Old Silverleg." 

When he reached New Amsterdam, he found plenty of 
work to do. The little village was just recovering from 
the terrors of a long and bloody Indian war. The former 
governor, Kieft, had unwisely sought to punish the Rari- 
tan Indians for some inroads on the Dutch farms. In 
revenge, the Raritans attacked the settlements and killed 
several men. Then Kieft offered a reward for the head 
of every Raritan, and this meant war. A few years later, 

181 



l82 



PETER STUYVESANT 



some Indians, fleeing from their Iroquois enemies, sought 
refuge among the Dutch near New Amsterdam. These 
defenseless Indians, by Kieft's orders, were ruthlessly 

slain. As a result 
of this cruel act the 
whole colony was 
plunged into war. 
Twelve or more 
Indian tribes were 
in arms, and before 
peace was declared 
1600 Indians had 
been killed and the 
Dutch had suf- 
fered great loss of 
life and property. 

Stuy vesant not 
only had to repair 
the damage done by 
this unnecessary 
war, but he had also 
to meet and check 
encroachments of 
another kind on the 
colony. On the 
east, emigrants from 
New England had already settled the fertile Connecticut 
valley, and were crowding into Long Island. The Dutch, 
however, claimed that they owned all the land between the 
Connecticut and Delaware rivers. In order to settle this 
claim, Stuvvesant met the English at Hartford, and after 




Stuyvesant at New Amsterdam. 



A DUTCH COLONY IN THE NEW WORLD 183 

much argument agreed with them that the boundary Hne 
between Connecticut and New Netherland should be ten 
miles east of the Hudson River. 

On the south, also, there had grown up a little Swedish 
settlement on the west bank of the Delaware River and 
Bay. This had been made by some colonists from Sweden 
sent out under the leadership of Peter Minuit, who, we 
remember, had served as the first Dutch governor of New 
Netherland. The Swedes bought the land from the In- 
dians and built on the west shore of the Delaware River a 
fort which they called Christina in honor of the queen of 
Sweden. 

The Dutch, meantime, had built a fort near the Swedish 
settlement and on the territory which the Swedes claimed. 
This fort was soon captured by the Swedes. Stuyvesant 
now made up his mind either to drive these Swedish settlors 
from the territory, which he claimed, or to seize the Swedish 
colony and annex it to his own. Accordingly, with a fleet 
of six vessels and seven hundred men, he set out to punish 
the Swedes, and was so successful that he captured both 
forts and joined New Sweden to New Netherland. 

While Stuyvesant was absent on this expedition, an 
Indian uprising occurred which came very near destroy- 
ing the little settlement of New Amsterdam. As it was, 
the villages surrounding the settlement were burned, and 
many lives lost. By tact, good judgment, and firmness 
Stuyvesant succeeded in averting a serious Indian war. 

We see that in his relations with outsiders Stuyvesant 
was usually successful, but in his dealings with his own 
people he always had more or less trouble. Disputes 
were constantly arising between him and some of the rich 



1 84 



PETER STU YVES ANT 



patroons who refused to be as obedient and humble as he 
thought they ought. Then there were in the colony a con- 
siderable number of foreigners, principally English, who 
had come over from New England. These men were con- 
stantly telling how much more liberty the governors of 
New England colonies gave the people, and as a result a 
large part of the population were restless and continued to 
demand a voice in the government. 




The city of New Amsterdam. 

Stuyvesant yielded in a measure to these demands and 
formed a council to assist him in governing the colony. 
The people were allowed to elect eighteen counsellors, 
from whom Stuyvesant chose nine men to advise with 
him. There had been in Kieft's time somewhat similar 
committees, but they did not have as much influence in 
the affairs of the colony as did this Council of Nine. In 
1653, New Amsterdam was incorporated as a city. It 



A DUTCH COLONY IN THE NEW WORLD 185 

had at this time a population of about fifteen hundred, 
and occupied the lower part of Manhattan Island, below 
what is now known as Wall Street. This street takes 
its name from the palisade, or wall, which the Dutch built 
across the island as a protection against the Indians. 
Two other streets that are still in existence are Broad 
Street, which in that time was partly a canal, on the 
banks of which the houses of the best people were built, 
and Broadway, now the great commercial street of the 
city. The street now known as the Bowery was the lane 
leading up from Governor Stuyvesant's house to his farm. 

During the time that the Dutch colony of New Nether- 
land was slowly but surely growing, the English were 
watching jealously its prosperity. They had settlements 
on both sides of the colony, and felt that it would not be 
wise to allow the Dutch to build up a strong settlement in 
the midst of their territory. Accordingly, the king of 
England gave to his brother, James, Duke of York, the 
territory which the Dutch had occupied and which, by 
right of discovery, settlement, and purchase, really be- 
longed to them. 

In 1664, while England and Holland were at peace, 
James secretly sent an English fleet to capture New Am- 
sterdam. When this fleet appeared in the harbor and sent 
a summons to the Dutch to surrender, Stuyvesant stormed 
about and swore that he would not yield the fort under 
any conditions. But the settlers of New Amsterdam, both 
Dutch and English, believed they would have greater lib- 
erties and smaller taxes under an English governor, so 
they refused to aid Stuyvesant in defending the place. 
Much to the gallant old soldier's disgust, he was obliged to 



I 86 PETER STUVVESANT 

surrender New Amsterdam without striking a blow in its 
defense. 

The English made some changes in the names of the 
towns. New Amsterdam they called New York ; Fort 
Orange, Albany ; and Esopus, Kingston. The colony of 
New Netherland was divided and known hereafter as the 
colonies of New York and New Jersey. 

After the surrender, Stuyvesant sailed for Holland and 
gave the company a report of his service as governor. 
He then returned to New York and settled on his farm 
in the upper part of the city, where he lived until 1672. 
He was buried in St. Mark's Church, where you can see 
a tablet erected in his memory. 

Topical Outline. — Character of Stuyvesant. His nicknames. 
Troubles of the colony; the Swedes in Delaware, and the English in 
Connecticut. Land claims and boundary disputes. Dissatisfaction in 
the colony, and growth of the spirit of liberty. Council of nine men. 
City of New Amsterdam incorporated. Description of the city. Eng- 
lish expedition against New Amsterdam, and surrender of Stuyvesant. 
Last years of Stuyvesant's life. 

Map Work. — Trace the boundaries of New Netherland (map, p. 175). 



JACQUES CARTIER— FRENCH EXPLORATION 
IN CANADA 

On the northwestern coast of France, on a point of land 
jutting out into the English Channel, is the old seaport 
town of St. Malo. In this town lived a sturdy race of 
people who became the most famous of the seamen of 
France. Here, in 1494, was born Jacques Cartier. 

For many years, Norman and Breton fishermen fre- 
quented the coast of Newfoundland, bringing back to 
France shiploads of codfish. Reports of the remarkable 
success of the Spanish in getting gold from the New World 
had reached France. The desire to get a foothold in this 
country of vast wealth, the desire to extend the dominions 
of France, and greater still, the desire to convert the 
heathen inhabitants of America to the Catholic faith, led 
to an exploration for possession. 

On April 20, 1534, Cartier with two ships and one 
hundred and twenty-two men sailed for Newfoundland. 
The voyage was so prosperous that they reached the 
island May 10, so early that the ice and snow had not 
yet disappeared. He sailed around among the islands, 
and later described the country as " nothing but frightful 
rocks and barren lands inhabited by men well-made, who 
wore their hair tied on top of their head, Hke a bundle of 
hay, with birds' feathers stuck in." He crossed over to the 
mainland on the west, and landed at Gaspe (map, p. I99)- 

187 



1 88 JACQUES CARTIER 

Here he planted a cross thirty feet high, on which was 
hung a shield with the arms of France and the words 
" Vive le Roi,'" " Long live the King." 

He further explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and 
believed that this was the entrance to. the much-sought-for 
Northwest Passage to India. But the autumnal storms 
warned him that his fleet was not prepared for the severity 
of a northern winter, so he returned to France, taking 
with him two young Indians to be trained f-S interpreters. 
His report was satisfactory to the king, and preparations 
were made on a larger scale for another expedition. 

It was decided that efforts should be made to open a fur 
trade with the Indians, so trading posts were to be estab- 
lished. Priests were also to go to convert the Indians. 
On May 19, 1535, after a most solemn reHgious service 
in the cathedral of St. Malo, Cartier sailed again for New- 
foundland. For many days the fleet was scattered by a 
furious tempest, but finally all entered the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence in safety. 

With the aid of their two young Indians, who acted 
as pilots, they sailed up the great river, and one September 
day they entered a gloomy gorge. On one side was a 
towering cliff ; on another side was a densely wooded 
shore, where the trees hung thick with grapevines loaded 
with ripe fruit. The Indians came swarming from the 
shores, and paddled about the ships in their canoes. 
They eagerly clambered to the decks and gazed in be- 
wilderment at the white-faced strangers, and at the two 
Indians who had been to France. Cartier received them 
kindly, listened to the speech of the great chief Donna- 
cona, and gave them bread and wine. 



FRENCH EXPLORATION IN CANADA 



189 



Afterward Cartier went on up the river to the great 
promontory where now stands the city of Quebec. Here 
was an Indian hamlet called Stadacone. The Frenchmen 
landed and climbed up the rocks and passed through the 
forest to the group of bark cabins to repay the visit of 
Donnacona. 

Cartier soon learned that Stadacone was not the great- 
est city on the river, but that some miles upstream was 




Cartier landing at Hochelaga. 

Hochelaga, famous the country through. Cartier made 
ready to visit it. Donnacona and his men tried to pre- 
vent him, for they feared that a more important trade 
would be established with the stronger tribes up the river, 
if the French were allowed to go. 

Cartier, with fifty men, however, started for Hochela- 
ga, on the present site of Montreal, where he landed 
October 2. 

A thousand Indians thronged the shore, wild with 



I90 JACQUES CARTIER 

delight. They sang, and danced, and crowded around 
the Frenchmen, offering presents. At night they built 
hundreds of fires and danced around them. An Indian 
path led from the shore through the forest, to the village 
of Hochelaga. Cartier and his men marched along in 
military array. They soon met an Indian chief with his 
attendants in gala dress, who welcomed the Frenchmen 
with great ceremony. Resuming their march, they passed 
fields of ripened Indian corn, and forest trees rich with 
autumnal foliage. 

Suddenly they came upon the town, the palisade of 
which was made of three rows of growing trees. The 
middle row stood upright ; the other two were inclined 
and crossed above it. This wall had but one gate. Along 
the inside of the wall was a gallery reached by ladders. 
Here were piles of stones to be used by the Indians in 
defense. They could stand on the platform, and, pro- 
tected by the branches and limbs of the trees, throw the 
stones on any attacking party. 

The Frenchmen marched through the gate. Within 
were fifty long, low cabins, arranged around an open 
space. Their frames were made of bent saplings, and 
they were covered with sheets of bark and skins. Each 
of these cabins contained several families. Cartier and 
his men halted in the open space, and from the cabins 
swarmed hundreds of women and children. They crowded 
about the Frenchmen, chattering with delight. Appar- 
ently, they had never seen anything so wonderful as these 
men with white faces, and beards, and shining armor and 
weapons. 

After the curiosity of the women was satisfied, they were 



FRENCH EXPLORATION IN CANADA 



191 



sent back toward their cabins. The warriors then sat 
down around the Frenchmen, and when all were seated, 
an old chief was borne into the circle. He was para- 
lyzed. Pointing to his helpless body, he asked Cartier to 
heal him. Then from all the cabins the sic*k, lame, and 
blind were brought forth and placed before the French- 




The Indians welcome Cartier. 



man, the Indians shouting meanwhile that "God had come 
to heal them." 

Cartier's skill did not extend so far as healing the sick, 
but he recited for them a portion of St. John's Gospel and 
muttered prayers over them. The Indians sat around in 
grave silence until Cartier finished ; then gifts were ex- 
changed — knives were given to the men, beads to the 
women, and little tin lambs to the children. The French 
trumpeters blew a blast, and the Indians were delighted 



192 JACQUES CARTIER 

with the sound. Then, bidding;- their hosts farewell, the 
visitors marched through the gate. A troop of Indians 
followed to guide them to the top of the neighboring 
mountain. The view was so glorious that Cartier called 
the height Mount Royal, from which we have the name 
Montreal. 

The French then returned to their camp near Stadacone, 
where they spent the winter. This winter was more severe 
than any before known to them. The river was frozen, and 
the drifts of snow rose above the sides of their ships. Yet 
in the bitter weather the Indians came half naked through 
the snow to the camp. 

At length a terrible sickness, called scurvy, seized the 
Frenchmen, and ninety-five died. No medicines that they 
had gave any relief. After many weeks Cartier, while 
talking with an old Indian who had just recovered from 
the disease, learned of a remedy. This was a tea made 
from the leaves of a tree called auieda. The sick men 
drank of this, and soon they became well. 

When the ice left the river, Cartier prepared to return 
to France. He had not found gold, nor had he found the 
Northwest Passage to India, but he had found a country 
whose rich furs could be obtained in exchange for cheap 
trinkets. The Indians, like those of the South, told stories 
of great cities and gold farther inland. Cartier may not 
have believed them, but he decided to take the chief of Sta- 
dacone back to tell these stories of marvelous riches to the 
king of France. Donnacona was not asked whether he 
wished to go, but he and some of his men were seized and 
taken on board ship against their will. The French then 
sailed away and reached home in July, 1536. The Indians 



FRENCH EXPLORATION IN CANADA 193 

were baptized soon after reaching France, and were well 
treated, but they lived only four or five years. 

It was not until 1541 that another expedition went out; 
this was under the patronage of Roberval, and Cartier was 
captain-general. The king ordered that the crews of the 
ships should be made up of criminals from the prisons of 
France. Other criminals were to be sent as settlers to 
Canada. They proved to be a lawless band of adventur- 
ers, from whom no good results could possibly come. 

When Cartier returned to Stadacone, the Indians de- 
manded their chief. Cartier told them that Donnacona 
was dead, but he also told them that the other Indians 
were living in great state in France. They distrusted him, 
and when* he went on up to Hochelaga they killed in 
revenge the men left at the French camp. 

From that time Cartier met only misfortune. The men 
were not the proper material for a colony. The Indians 
were unfriendly. He found that his patron Roberval 
treated him only as a subordinate to be ordered about, 
when Cartier's own experience had been such that he 
often knew better than Roberval what should be done. 
He became dissatisfied and returned to France. After 
one more voyage in the year 1543, he went back to his 
birthplace, St. Malo, and lived there quietly on his fine 
country estate. 

By these expeditions of Cartier, France laid claim to all 
that part of North America drained by the St. Lawrence 
River. No permanent settlement was made until fifty 
years later, but fishing and fur trading were extensively 
carried on by the French in the great empire across the 
sea. 

EXH. ><r K. 13 



194 



JACQUES CARTIER 



Topical Outline. — Birthplace of Cartier. Breton fishermen near 
Newfoundland. Cartier's first and second voyages to America. What 
he found. Fur trade with the Indians. Stadacone and Hochelaga. 
The severe winter. The Indians taken back to France. The land 
claimed by France. The third voyage. 

For Written Work. — I. Describe the Indian reception of Cartier at 
Hochelaga. II. Write what Donnacona thought of life in France. 




French flintlock pistol and powder horn. 



CHAMPLAIN, THE FOUNDER OF NEW 
FRANCE 




It was just twenty-five years after Cartier's last voyage 
when Samuel de Champlain was born. His birthplace was 
a small seaport called Brouage in the southwestern part of 
France. The harbor of Brouage was one of the best in 
Europe, and was frequented by the 
merchant vessels of all nations. The 
people of the town were largely well- 
to-do sailor folk. 

Champlain's father was the owner 
of fishing vessels, and his uncles, also, 
were seafaring men. Champlain tells 
us in his books that as a young boy he 
loved the wharves and the shipping. 
Often his father took him on short trips, and taught him 
how to manage the ships, to take soundings, and to read 
the compass. There was a military garrison in the town, 
anci the boys had no end of pleasure in learning about the 
fortifications and the use of fire-arms. 

The work and pleasure of a soldier's life became as 
familiar to Champlain as the work and pleasure of a 
sailor's life. His boyhood was crowded with events of stir- 
ring interest, and doubtless there were days when he did 
not know which of the delightful occupations he preferred. 
But at the age of twenty, circumstances led him to join 

»95 



Champlain. 



196 CHAM PLAIN 

the army; civil war was raging in France, and lasted for 
nine years after Champlain entered the service. He woji pro- 
motion by brave and faithful conduct, and developed into a 
strong, well-built, self-reliant man. 

After the war was over, Champlain went back to his birth- 
place, but he soon realized that he had outgrown the little 
town. He wanted a field for greater activity. Fortunately 
for him and for the world since, an uncle of his was about 
to go to Spain with a fleet of merchant vessels. Spain 
was then at the height of her prosperity. Champlain knew 
of the successful trips of the Spanish explorers to the New 
World, and was very eager to get a chance to sail with them. 

It was in August, 1598, that Champlain, in the service 
of his uncle, left France and went to Spain. After the 
first business was finished, his uncle gave him command of 
one of his best ships, the St. Julian, and he engaged to go 
to the West Indies to carry supplies for some Spanish 
settlements and bring back a cargo of New World products. 
He began to keep a diary when he first left France, and 
he wrote down his interesting adventures, which scholars 
can read to-day. 

The transatlantic voyage began in January, 1 599. The 
fleet visited the West Indies and then the Venezuelan coast, 
where Champlain was greatly interested in the pearl 
fisheries. 

He often went ashore, and always made friends with the 
natives. He made maps and drawings of all unfamiliar 
objects. He tasted the strange fruits, and described them 
in his diary. He visited Mexico, and described minutely 
the city of Mexico, which he called a beautiful city, " with 
splendid temples and palaces; the streets well laid out." 



NEW FRANCE 



197 



He crossed the Isthmus of Panama, and recorded in his 
diary that a canal might be cut that would shorten the water 
route from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Finally, in 1601, 
the richly laden fleet returned to Spain. For his services 
and the use of his ship he was paid eight thousand dollars. 

Champlain then returned to France. He had now been 
both soldier and sailor, and was still a young man a Httle 
over thirty. He had written out carefully the story of his 
trip, and had illustrated it with colored drawings. This 
report included a description of the countries, the routes, 
products, and resources, and the Spanish methods of 
colonizing and of treasure getting. It included accounts 
of the Spaniards' strength and weakness, information most 
carefully guarded by them heretofore and most valuable to 
the king of France. 

The king was quick to appreciate this information, and 
he settled upon Champlain an income sufficient for him to 
live at court the rest of his life. Champlain was much 
sought in society, and came in contact with the leading 
men of France. F'or a time the life was attractive, but 
soon the restless spirit of the man of action took hold of 
him. Some men for years had been agitating the question 
of colonization : France needed a foothold in the New 
World; Champlain was just the man to attempt such work. 

Shortly after Columbus discovered America, the Pope 
drew a line one hundred leagues west of the Azores and 
decreed that all new lands west of this should belong to 
Spain, and all east to Portugal. This line was afterwards 
shifted to three hundred and seventy leagues west of the 
Cape Verde Islands (see map, p. 37). When the king of 
France heard of this, he said : "Show me the clause in the 



198 CHAMPLAIN 

will of Father Adam which divides America between you 
and excludes the French." The French were determined 
to have a share in the New World, and as early as 1524 
they sent out Verrazano, who explored the middle section 
of the Atlantic coast. Ten years later they sent out Car- 
tier, of whose explorations we have just read. An unsuc- 
cessful attempt to plant a colony on the coast of Carolina 
was made by Ribaut about 1560. But now the sixteenth 
century had passed, and France had no firm hold on any of 
America. 

On March 13, 1603, Champlain set sail with a small 
fleet for Newfoundland. He had on board two Indians 
who had been brought by some of the fishermen, and who 
could serve as interpreters. On -the voyage Champlain 
learned from them much of the Algonquin language, so he 
was able to talk with the natives with some ease. On 
reaching the Gulf of St. Lawrence, they followed Cartier's 
route up the river. One day they approached a place on 
the river where the cliffs on the bank towered high, and 
the river became much narrower. The Indians called it 
Kebec, which meant " narrowing." Here Cartier had found 
the Indian village Stadacone, but no trace of it remained 
when Champlain came sixty-eight years later. It was here 
that Champlain afterward laid out the first permanent settle- 
ment of France, known to us as Quebec. The exploration 
of the river was continued, and the site of Hochelaga was 
visited, but only wilderness and forest were there. The 
Indians, whose city Cartier had visited, had either gone 
elsewhere or had been captured by another tribe. 

The Indians were so delighted that Champlain could 
talk in their language that they were friendly and com- 



NEW FRANCE 



199 



municative. They told him of the great body of water to 
the west, meaning Lake Ontario. The Frenchmen hoped 
that this might be the Pacific Ocean, and that the St. 
Lawrence River was the much-looked-for Northwest Pas- 
sage. But further explorations could not be made until the 




Canada and Acadia. 

next year. So, late in August, with their ships well loaded 
with choice furs, Champlain and his men sailed for home. 

Champlain very soon afterward rewrote his diary, 
adding to it a most interesting description of the manners 
and customs of the Indians whom he had met, and published 
the book under the title of " The Savages." This book 
was very popular, and won support to the cause of a 
French settlement. 

In March, 1604, Champlain sailed for the second time 



200 CHAMPLAIN 

to North America. This time he explored the coast of 
Nova Scotia, and crossed the Bay of Fundy to an island 
at the mouth of the St. Croix River. Here the Frenchmen 
decided to plant a fort and colony. It was midsummer, 
and the country was beautiful. They landed, and all hands 
began cutting down trees. Soon four good log houses 
were built, besides a fort and a storehouse. When the 
camp was completed, the ships returned to France to bring 
back fresh supplies next spring. Seventy-nine men re- 
mained at St. Croix for the winter, which was a most severe 
one. The houses were not warm, fuel became scarce, and 
fresh water hard to get. The storms of sleet and snow 
lasted for five long months. Much of the time the men 
could not keep their food from freezing, and they were 
numbed with cold whenever they attempted to work outside 
of shelter. The terrible disease from which so many of 
Cartier's men suffered broke out, and thirty-five men died, 
and twenty others were very sick when the ships with 
fresh food returned from F'rance in June. This winter 
was long remembered, and few others in history have a 
record of greater hardships. 

Soon after the ships returned, Champlain started on 
a trip of exploration southward along the coast of New 
England to find a place more suitable for a settlement. 
He made a map of this coast, but did not find a place that 
seemed attractive for a colony. On the shore of Nova 
Scotia, across the Bay of Fundy from St. Croix, was another 
harbor that seemed more sheltered, and the men that sum- 
mer planted Port Royal. They built their houses better, 
and placed them in the shelter of trees and hills to prevent 
the suffering of the winter just passed. 



NEW FRANCE 



201 



The second winter proved less severe. Cham plain had 
learned that the men needed fresh meat in order to keep 
well, so he formed a society of fifteen of the strong men 




The Order of Mirth. 



and best hunters, and called it the "Order of Mirth." 
These men took turns in being Grand Master, and the 
one who held the office and wore the chain of the order 
for the, day had to provide the day's dinn.er. He might 



202 CHAMTLAIN 

hunt, fish, or buy from the Indians ; the one condition 
required was that the meat for the dinner must be fresh. 
When dinner time came, the men formed a procession. 
The Grand Master led the way, followed by the other 
fourteen members of the Order of Mirth ; then came 
the rest of the company. Usually as they marched to 
the table, they sang French songs, and during the dinner 
they told stories and cracked jokes. At the close of the meal 
the Grand Master placed the badge of the order around the 
neck of the man whose turn it was to serve the next day. 
This winter the men kept fairly well. Many days during 
the winter they could work out of doors, and in a short time 
they had erected several houses; they had a water mill for 
cutting logs, a brick kiln, and a furnace for melting the 
gum and resin used in shipbuilding. Champlain planted 
a garden every spring. 

Three years passed, and in 1607 Champlain went to 
France on important business. He was made governor 
and returned to America in the spring of 1608. This time 
the outgoing vessels carried a full stock of supplies. There 
were trinkets for the Indian trade, comfortable furniture 
and clothing, shovels and saws for the use of colonists and 
workmen. Carpenters, masons, locksmiths, and shipbuild- 
ers were taken along. 

Champlain had for some time disliked the location of 
the colonies of St. Croix and Port Royal. He believed 
that the St. Lawrence River was the better place for settle- 
ment. His position as governor now gave him power to 
carry out his own ideas. On July 3, 1608, the new col- 
onists and the old ones landed on the site of Quebec. 
The men went to work cutting down trees and preparing 




NEW FRANCE 203 

the timbers for building. Work was going along finely, 
when some one revealed to Champlain that a few dissatis- 
fied men, led by Duval, a locksmith, had plotted to kill him. 
'Champlain, in a cool, businesslike way, appointed men to 
examine the suspected persons. Evidence was found 
showing that Duval had formed plans for the murder of 
Champlain. The jury sentenced him, after fair trial, to be 
hanged. Champlain 
pardoned the others 
implicated, after a 
severe reprimand. 

By November 
three snugly built 
houses and a store- 
house were com- 
pleted. These stood The blockhouse at Quebec 
within an inclosure in which several cannon were mounted. 
In spite of most careful preparations, the colonists suf- 
fered terribly from cold and sickness that first winter in 
Quebec, and only eight of the twenty-eight were alive 
when spring came. 

Champlain was urged to go with a number of friendly 
Algonquin Indians on an exploring trip south. The In- 
dians were to act as guides, and he was to aid them in a 
campaign against their enemies, the Iroquois. It looked 
like a fair bargain to Champlain, for the Algonquins near 
Quebec had been very useful to him. A small band of 
Indians, with Champlain and two other Frenchmen, started 
south and joined some Huron allies; all together there 
were sixty Indians and three Frenchmen. They paddled 
up the Richelieu River, and after a few days they came to 



204 



CHAM I 'LAIN 



a " large lake filled with beautiful islands and with a fine 
country surrounding it." This lake is to-day known as 
Lake Champlain. In twenty-four canoes the invaders of 
the Iroquois territory day after day paddled southward up 
the lake. 

One night late in July, three weeks after their start, 
they were approaching the site of Ticonderoga, when a 




^4Sis^ 



'^^myv 



'- ,B*t 



^jaKt(i^Ks-«'' 



j{ji[_.^- 




Champlain takes aim. 

war whoop was heard. Suddenly a band of Iroquois ap- 
peared before them in canoes. Neither side cared to open 
battle that night, but they taunted and jeered at each 
other. The Algonquins boasted of having mysterious 
weapons that the Iroquois had never seen. During the 
night the Iroquois selected a place on the shore and put 
up such barricades as were possible and waited for an 
attack. At daybreak the Algonquins and the Frenchmen 
landed a little way up the shore and moved down on the 
enemy. 

Champlain gives the following account in his diary : 
"When I was about thirty paces from the enemy, they 



NEW FRANCE 205 

halted and stared ; I did the same. When I saw them 
nervous in taking aim, I put my musket to my shoulder 
and aimed straight at one of three chiefs. At the first 
shot, two fell dead, and one of their companions was so 
wounded that he died shortly after. I had put four balls 
into my gun. When our men saw this shot so effective 
for them, they began to yell so jubilantly that you could 
not have heard thunder. Volleys of arrows flew from 
both sides. The Iroquois were dumfounded that two of 
their number should have been killed so promptly. This 
unnerved them. As I was reloading, one of my com- 
panions fired a shot from the woods. This, following on the 
death of their leaders, so demoralized them that they lost 
their heads completely and took to their heels." It Vv^as 
but a holiday skirmish for the French and a great victory 
for the Algonquins, but the cause of a bitter and bloody 
hatred for the French on the part of the Iroquois. 

The colony at Quebec flourished, and in 161 1 another 
was planted that is known to-day as Montreal. A brisk 
trade was carried on with the Indians, who sold rich furs 
for trinkets, cloth, hatchets, and other French goods. 
The fur trade was the chief business, but lumbering, fish- 
ing, and some agriculture were carried on. In the early 
days no women came out, except a few who came with 
their husbands. 

In the ne.xt twenty-five years, Champlain spent much 
time in Canada and made explorations west to Lake Huron, 
and far north of the St. Lawrence River, as well as into 
what is now New York state. In all this work he kept an 
accurate account, and drew maps and plans that were of 
great value to the men who came after him. Catholic 



2o6 



CHAMFM.AIN 



missionaries came and taui;ht the Inaians to worship 
the God of the Christians. 

In December, 1635, Champlain died at the age of sixty- 
eight and was buried on the banks of the St. Lawrence 
that he loved so well. The historian Parkman says 
of him : " Of the pioneers of the North American 
forests, Champlain's name stands foremost in the lists." 
" He was kind, brave, and intelligent, slaving in the toils 
and hardships, serving the king of France, and the faith- 
ful friend of the settlers in the New World." 



Topical Outline. — Champlain's birthplace. Soldier and sailor. The 
trip to South America. Champlain's diary and maps. His first 
I'oyage to Canada. The second voyage; St. Croix and Port Royal. 



120^ 110 lUO 90 80 




EUROPEAJf CLAIXS 

AND 

EXPLOUATIONS 

1C50 



120 Lonj.-iluJ' 



NEW FRANCE 



207 



The planting of Quebec. Champlain's aid to the A'gonquins against 
the Iroquois. The fur trade. 

For Written Work. — I. Describe the battle between the Algonquins 
and the Iroquois. II. Write your experiences as a member of Cham- 
plain's " Order of Mirth." 

Map Work. — Locate Quebec (map, p. 199); the Richelieu River; 
Lake Champlain. 




French soldier. 



LA SALLE— FRENCH EXPLORATION OF THE 
MISSISSIPPI 

For many years after the time of Champlain, French 
explorations were limited to the region of the St. Lawrence 
River and the Great Lakes. Men, however, had not given 
up the idea of a water route across the continent to the 
Pacific Ocean. This was as much needed as ever to make 
the trade with China and India less 
difficult. The Indians often spoke 
of the "Father of Waters" to the 
west. Whether this was an ocean, 
a great lake, or a river, men did 
not know. But no one seemed ready 
to undertake extended explorations 
to the west until the time of Robert 
Cavelier de La Salle. 

This man was born in Rouen, 
France, in 1643. La Salle was the 
name of his father's estate near Rouen. We always 
know him as La Salle, but as a boy his name was 
simply Robert Cavelier. His father was a wealthy mer- 
chant, and lived in great state. The boy had all the ad- 
vantages of the time. He early showed unusual interest in 
mathematics and sciences, and his father sent him to the 
best schools for training in these branches. He matured 
early, and we find even the young boy showing a self- 
possessed and well-controlled character. 

208 




La Salle. 



FRENCH EXPLORATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI 



209 



La Salle had an elder brother who had gone as a* priest 
to Canada, and in 1666, when twenty-three years of age, 
he joined this brother at Montreal. On arriving in 
Canada he became the owner of a large estate a few miles 
from Montreal, and spent much time in clearing the 
ground and erecting buildings. He rented small farms to 
settlers, and in a short time 
his estate had increased 
greatly in value. La Salle 
evidently had other things 
in view than the simple 
life of a landed proprietor, 
for he had not been long- 
in Canada before he began 
a systematic study of the 
Indian languages. It is 
said that in about two 




La Salle's house near Montreal (1900). 



years he could speak very well in seven or eight different 
native dialects. 

One day a band of Seneca Indians, a tribe of the 
Iroquois, who lived in western New York, called at his 
place. He kept them for several weeks and asked them 
many questions about the country. They told him about 
a river, which they called the Ohio, which had its source 
near their home, but reached the ocean at a distance so 
great that it would take many months to reach the place. 
From their account La Salle thought that this river must 
flow into the Gulf of California ; if so, it might be the 
much-desired water route to China. He at once began to 
make plans to explore the region of this great river. In 
July, 1669, he started west, and with a few companions 



2IO LA SALLE 

and Indian guides crossed Lake Erie and went to the 
Allegheny River. They entered the Ohio and explored 
it as far as the site of Louisville, Kentucky, but were 
obliged to return to Montreal. 

In the meantime, two other Frenchmen — the priest, 
Father Marquette, and the fur trader, Johet — had made a 
great canoe voyage in which they reached the Mississippi 
from the Great Lakes and explored it far enough to be 
certain that it must enter the Gulf of Mexico, and not the 
Gulf of California. The Frenchmen of the seventeenth 
century knew little or nothing about the discoveries of De 
Soto ; and even if they had, they could not have known 
that this was the same stream he had found. 

On the return of Joliet and Marquette to Montreal, 
La Salle's interest was renewed. Soon after, in 1678, he 
started on another expedition with forty men. On reach- 
ing the Niagara River above the falls they set to work to 
build a ship. They cut the trees and prepared the timbers 
while sullen Indians watched for a chance to destroy the 
work. Finally, after much hard work and great anxiety, 
the Griffon was launched and La Salle sailed into Lake 
Erie on his great voyage. With La Salle was Henry Tonty, 
whom the Indians called Iron Hand, because a hand shot off 
in battle had been replaced by; one of iron. 

They sailed through Lakes^Erie and Huron, and after 
many hardships they reached the northern end of Lake 
Michigan. Nearly a year before La Salle started from 
home, he had sent out fifteen men to trade for furs. 
The furs were to be ready, on his arrival at a certain 
point, to be sent back to Canada in exchange for supplies. 
The Griffon, his only ship, was now loaded with a fine 



FRENCH EXPLORATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI 



21 I 



cargo of furs and sent to a trading post at Niagara, 
to bring back supplies of food, tools, and ammunition. 
La Salle and his men pushed on southward to the 
banks of the Illinois River, where they built a fort. This 
fort he named Crevecoeur (heartbreak), after waiting 
long and anxiously for the return of the Griffon. The 




At Fort Crevecoeur. 

ship was never heard of again. She may have been 
captured by an enemy, or may have been wrecked in 
some violent gale on the lakes. . ^ 

La Salle and his men spent a hard vwMer on the banks 
of the Illinois at Crevecoeur. They woiked at building a 
ship, but could not continue their journfey vwithout sup- 
plies, so La Salle had to return to Montreal ; in March, 
1680, he and five companions started on that terrible 
journey of one thousand miles. Their way lay eastward 
through the wilderness. Part of the way they walked. 



212 LA SALLE 

and part they traveled in canoes which they made. Some 
of the time they waded waist deep through marshes and 
melting snow, and one night their wet clothes froze so 
that they had to be thawed out by the fire before they 
could be put on. Once La Salle started off alone to look 
for a pathway, and lost his way in a blinding snowstorm. 
He wandered around in the dense forest for several hours, 
but could not find his party. Finally, long past midnight, 
he saw a fire, and hurried on toward it, and found near 
the fire, under a tree, a bed of dry grass, which showed 
that a man had been lying there but a few minutes be- 
fore. The man was probably an Indian who had been 
frightened away from his bed by a gunshot. La Salle 
lay down and went to sleep, and resumed his search the 
next morning ; but he did not find his party until four 
o'clock in the afternoon. 

On reaching Niagara, La Salle was the only well man in 
the party. It was remarkable that a man whose childhood 
had been spent in luxury could endure such a journey. The 
sick men were left at Niagara, and La Salle pushed on to 
Montreal with three companions picked up at the fort. It 
must have been with a heavy heart, for at Niagara he 
heard that a ship from France with thirty thousand dollars' 
worth of supplies for him had been wrecked in the St. Law- 
rence and everything lost. 

At Montreal La Salle got together some needed supplies 
and started back ; but soon learned that most of the men 
at Crevecoeur had deserted him. Hastening on to rescue 
Tonty and those who remained faithful, he found Creve- 
coeur in ruins, and a friendly Indian town near by de- 
stroyed by an attack of the Iroquois. 



FRENCH EXl'LORATION OF THE iSHSSISSim 213 

La Salle was a man not easily discouraged. He believed 
the objects sought by him were worth any kind of sacrifice 
and hardships. He urged the warring tribes of the west 
to form a defensive league against the Iroquois. He went 
once more to Montreal, where he arranged business affairs 
and collected supplies, and in the summer of 168 1 he set 
out from Fort Frontenac for the west for the last time. 

When near the site of Toronto, he was detained for two 
weeks. A letter written to friends in France at that time 
contains the following : " I have a hundred things to write, 
but you could not believe how hard it is to do it among 
Indians. The canoes and their lading must be got over 
the portage ; and I must speak to them continually, and 
bear all their importunity, or else they will do nothing I want. 
I hope to write more at leisure next year, and tell you the 
end of this business, which I hope will turn out well ; for 
I have M. de Tonty, who is full of zeal ; thirty F'rench- 
men, all good men, without reckoning such as I cannot 
trust ; and more than a hundred Indians, some of them 
Shawanoes and others from New England, all of whom 
know how to use guns." Day after day their heavily laden 
canoes crept along the shores of the lakes and were carried 
with difficulty across country from lake to river, until at 
last, on February 6, 1682, they came out on the waters of 
the Mississippi River near the mouth of the Illinois. 

The river was full of floating ice, and they were obliged 
to wait for a week before they resumed the journey. This 
party now numbered eighteen Indian warriors, ten squaws, 
and twenty-three Frenchmen. As their canoes drifted 
downstream, day after day, the weather became warmer. 
Flowers and foliage on the banks indicated not only the 



FRENCH EXPLORATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI 21 5 

coming of spring, but the entrance into a warmer climate. 
Every night they stopped and pitched camp on the bank, 
and sometimes they stayed and built a fort and explored 
the country roundabout. Many places suitable for trading 
posts were noted on a map. 

One day they saw ahead of them a canoe of Indians. 
Tonty, in a spirit of friendliness, gave chase and had nearly 
overtaken them when La Salle saw on the bank a band of 
Indians with bows drawn to defend their countrymen. He 
called out to Tonty to stop. Tonty then offered to cross 
with a peace pipe, and set out with a small party to do so. 
When they landed, the Indians made signs of friendship 
by joining their hands, and invited the Frenchmen to visit 
their village. They spent the night there, and one of the 
men wrote : " La Salle, whose very air, engaging manner, 
tact, and address attract love and respect alike, produced 
such an effect on the hearts of these people that they did 
not know how to treat us well enough." These Indians 
lived near the site of the city of Natchez, Mississippi. 

On the 9th of April, 1682, La Salle and his men sailed 
out of the mouth of the river into the Gulf of Mexico. 
Then they landed in a spot of dry ground near the mouth, 
and with most solemn ceremony erected a standard bear- 
ing the arms of France, and the words " Louis XIV, King 
of France, April 9, 1682." They fired their muskets, and 
shouted " Vive le Roi " (" Long live the King" ). Then La 
Salle proclaimed that he took " in the name of the King 
of France and his successors all lands drained by this river, 
with all people, provinces, towns, villages, mines, and 
minerals." More musketry shots, and more shouts of 
" Vive le Roi'' followed, — then a cross was planted and 



2l6 



LA SALLE 



lead plates, having the arms of France .and the name of 
Louis XIV, were buried near the standard and cross. 
La Salle named the country Louisiana for King Louis 
XIV. Their boats were far too light to sail away to 




La Salle takes possession of the land. 



France, so they went back upstream, a journey much 
harder because they had to paddle against the current of 
a great river. La Salle was taken sick, and for forty days 
he was cared for by a priest who was with him, while the 
main party went on their way back to Canada. 

In time La Salle reached Montreal, and from there he 
sailed to France to make his report to the king. The 
king was more than pleased. He favored La Salle's plan 
of planting a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River. 
La Salle asked for two vessels ; four were given him. 
They carried a hundred soldiers, mechanics, laborers, 



FRENCH EXPLORATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI 21/ 

several families, and a large number of girls as prospec- 
tive brides of the Frenchmen, besides a band of priests. 
Generous supplies of food, tools, and ammunition were 
furnished. 

As the ships sailed away from France in July, 1684, all 
looked prosperous for a French colony near the mouth of the 
Mississippi River. But disaster soon came. They encoun- 
tered storms, one ship was lost, and the others were sepa- 
rated and were delayed until supplies got low. 

Late in November, after many delays, they entered the 
Gulf of Mexico. They sailed as near shore as possible 
and kept close watch for the mouth of the Mississippi ; but 
in spite of all their efforts they passed the mouth of the 
river, and were compelled finally to land on the shore of 
Texas. The novelty of adventure soon wore off, and the 
colonists and soldiers, unused to life in the wilderness, did 
little but grumble, and refused to help La Salle in explor- 
ing the coast. 

It became plain to La Salle that he could save the 
suffering colony only by making his way to Canada. He 
picked out seventeen men and five horses, and in March, 
1687, started overland to get relief for his people. It proved 
that some of the seventeen men selected were ene- 
mies of La Salle and probably consented to go just to find 
a chance to carry out their plans against him. For they 
had been gone but two or three days when one mcfrning La 
Salle was shot by two of his men lying in ambush. 

La Salle was only forty-two when he was killed. He had 
done a great work. From that time France claimed that 
vast country in the Mississippi valley from the Great Lakes 
to the Gulf of Mexico. No European was more successful 



2l8 LA SALLE 

than he in managing the Indians. But his great plans had 
ended in failure for himself. The colony in Texas soon per- 
ished. It was tenyears or more before the first French settle- 
ment was planted near the mouth of the Mississippi River. 

Topical Outline. — The name La Salle. La Salle in Canada. His 
exploration of the Ohio River. His attempts to reach the Gulf of 
Mexico by way of the Mississippi River. The final success. Louisiana 
claimed for France. The attempt to plant a colony near the mouth 
of the Mississippi River. Death of La Salle. 

For Written Work. — La Salle tells of the many discouragements he 
met. 

Map Work. — Trace on a map the journey of La Salle from Fort 
Frontenac (Kingston) to the Gulf of Mexico. 



i 




'i<»«?-aP-'- 



The Griffon — La Salle's ship 
on the Great Lakes. 



THE CALVERTS AND MARYLAND — LORD 
BALTIMORE 

In this free land of ours to-day every man has a right 
to worship God in the way he beheves best. But in old 
England three hundred years ago this was not allowed. 
In those days there was an established church called the 
Church of England, which was controlled by the gov- 
ernment All the people were obhged to attend its serv- 
ices and aid in its support. If they failed to do so, they 
were fined and sometimes imprisoned. But very many 
loyal Englishmen could not conscientiously belong to this 
church, and as a result were persecuted because of their 
reHgious beliefs. Thus it was that the Puritans fled from 
England and sought to found colonies where they could 
worship God in freedom. 

The Catholics also suffered much because of their re- 
fusal to take part in the services of the Church of England. 
Now there was in England at this time a brave and honest 
gentleman named Sir George Calvert, who was a Catholic. 
He was a man of wealth and influence and had been one 
of the king's trusted officers. When the London Com 
pany was organized, he had been one of its most active 
members and had aided in sending settlers to Virginia. 
However, when he became a Catholic, he was obliged to 
give up all his public offices. But the king still remained 
his friend and gave him the title of Lord Baltimore. 

219 



220 



LORD BALTIMORE 



As Calvert watched the Virginia colony grow, he made 
up his mind to found in the New World a home where 
persecuted Catholics might find refuge. So he obtained 
from the king a grant of land in the island of Newfound- 
land. Explorers had brought back word of a rich and 
fertile country there, and *this cool-headed and sensible 
man was charmed by these stories. He called his new 
possession Avalon, or the land of apples, and sent bands 
of settlers there. In 1628, Calvert himself came to live in 
this new land. But he and his followers were not used to 
the hardships of a northern winter, so in the spring they 
gave up this settlement and set sail for Virginia. 

In Virginia they received a cool welcome, for the Vir- 
ginians, although Englishmen, did not wish English 

Catholics to settle 
among them. So, 
broken in health by 
his voyage to New- 
foundland and dis- 
couraged by his 
treatment in Vir- 
ginia, Calvert re- 
turned to England. 
He did not, however, 
give up his scheme 
of founding a Cath- 
olic colony in Amer- 
ica, but asked the king for land north of Virginia. The 
king willingly granted this request, and in 1633 a charter 
was issued for a new province called Maryland, on both 
sides of Chesapeake Bay, north of the Potomac River. 




SCALE OF Mil 



Maryland by the original charter. 



MARYLAND 221 

As shown on this map, the grant included not only the 
present state of Maryland, but also Delaware and parts of 
Pennsylvania and West Virginia. 

Sir George Calvert died before the plans for the new 
colony were completed, hence the charter was issued to Cecil 
Calvert, his son, the second Lord Baltimore. By the terms 
of this grant, Lord Baltimore was made proprietor of the 
new province, and had almost as much power there as 
the king had in England. He could make war, enact laws 
(with the consent of the colonists), and coin money ; and 
all the king reserved for himself was a one-fifth share in 
all gold and silver found in the new domain. The king 
even promised not to tax the colony, if it would send to 
him each year two Indian arrowheads as a token that he 
was still master. 

In 1634, a colony of three hundred persons under the 
leadership of Leonard Calvert, Lord Baltimore's brother, 
came over in two ships fitly named the Ar^^ and the Dove. 
As they sailed up Chesapeake Bay the Indians came out 
in their canoes to greet them. The red men were 
astonished at the size of their ships, and said that they 
would like to see the tree from which these great canoes 
were hollowed out. Calvert purchased from the Indians 
one of their villages, with its gardens and cornfields, and 
named his little settlement St. Marys. 

The Indians were treated kindly and were paid for their 
land in knives, beads, and axes. In return they taught 
the colonists how to hunt, to raise corn, and to make suc- 
cotash. Thus the first few years passed happily and pros- 
perously. But trouble soon arose over boundary lines. 
This hapjiened in many of the colonies, for the English 



222 



LORD BALTIMORE 



kings had an easy way of giving the same land to different 
men and then letting them fight for its possession. 

The Virginians 
were jealous of 
the new colony of 
Maryland, because 
it took from them 
much of their ter- 
ritory and also cut 
off the northern 
Indian trade. 
Their leader in 
making trouble for 
Maryland was Wil- 
liam Clayborne, 
who had built a 
trading post on 
Kent Island in 
Chesapeake Bay. 
This island was in- 
cluded in the Mary- 
land grant, so Lord Baltimore told Clayborne that he must 
either leave or become a subject of Maryland. Clayborne 
refused to do this, and for more than ten years there was 
war between his followers and the Marylanders. Finally 
the English government interfered and settled the dispute 
by giving Kent Island to Maryland. 

In later years there was a boundary dispute between Mary- 
land and Pennsylvania ; but this was settled by a peace- 
ful compromise, and two men named Mason and Dixon were 
employed to survey the line. The line they surveyed be- 




The Indians teach the 



MARYLAND 223 

tween the two colonies was called the "Mason and Dixon 
Line," and afterward became famous as the dividing line 
between the slave and the free states. 

Calvert gave the settlers a large share in the government, 
and in order to encourage immigration, he offered freedom 
of religious worship to all who would settle in the colony. 
The Toleration Act which was passed by the Maryland 
Legislature in 1649 was a famous law. It provided that no 
Christian should in any way be hindered in the practice 
of his religion. Attracted by this freedom, people came 
from all quarters to find refuge in Maryland, and it was 
not long before the colony contained more Protestants than 
Catholics. AnnapoUs was settled largely by Puritans driven 
from Virginia by the tyranny of Governor Berkeley. 

At length, the Protestants gained control of Maryland 
and passed an act taking the land away from Lord Balti- 
more and declaring that the Catholics had no right to 
protection in the colony which they had founded. So you 
see that Lord Baltimore's kindness and liberality were not 
appreciated by his Puritan settlers. In 1658, however, the 
Toleration Act was again put in force and the province 
restored to Lord Baltimore. 

Excepting the boundary disputes and the religious 
troubles, the colony was prosperous. As in Virginia, the 
colonists were engaged largely in raising and exporting 
tobacco. There were no large towns, but the people lived 
for the most part on large farms or plantations. The land 
was rich and fertile and produced heavy crops of grain, as 
well as tobacco. Game was plentiful, and hunting was one 
of the principal pastimes of the boys and men. The 
eastern part of Maryland near Chesapeake Bay became 



224 LORD BALTIMORE 

early famous for oysters, terrapin, and other sea food and 
for its wild game, such as pigeons and canvasback ducks. 
Quakers, Dutchmen, and Frenchmen came to join the Eng- 
lish Catholics and Puritans in Maryland, and the colony 
was prosperous and happy. For a few years it was a royal 
province, but in 171 5 it was restored to the descendants of 
Lord Baltimore, and it was controlled by the members of 
the Calvert family until the Revolution. 

Topical Outline. — Religious liberty of to-day that people did not have 
three centuries ago. Treatment of Catholics in England. Baltimore's 
plan for the relief of EngHsh Catholics. Unsuccessful settlement in 
Newfoundland. The settlement of Maryland. Relations with the 
Indians. Troubles over boundary lines with Clayborne and thePenns. 
Occupations of the colonists. Later history of Maryland. 

Map Work. — Locate Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River, St. Marys. 



WILLIAM PENN AND THE QUAKERS 

Several of the English colonies in America were estab- 
lished as a refuge for people who were persecuted because 
of their religious beliefs. We have already read how the 
Puritans fled to New England in order that they might 
worship God in their own way. We know, too, that 
Maryland was founded for persecuted Catholics. In some 
of the other colonies, also, many thousand French Hugue- 
nots and German Protestants found a refuge from the 
cruelty and oppression of the Old World. One of the last 
colonies to be built up largely by people of a particular 
faith was Pennsylvania. The beginnings of its history, 
like those of the other English colonies, go back to the 
mother country. 

In the midst of the troublesome times in England during 
the seventeenth century, and during the persecutions of 
Catholics and Puritans, there arose another religious sect. 
Under the preaching of a young man named George Fox, 
a few people were led to believe that the forms and 
ceremonies of the Church of England were meaningless. 
These people were commonly called Quakers, a title given 
to them partly in fun ; but they were known among them- 
selves as members of the " Society of Friends." This 
title aptly described them, for they were usually quiet 
and friendly folk. Their manner of speech and dress 
made them seem peculiar in the gay life of England, for 

225 



226 WILLIAM PENN 

they dressed simply and plainly in drab or gray clothes, 
and they spoke to every one as "thee " or " thou." They 
believed that all men were equal in the sight of God, so 
they refused to treat one person with any greater degree 
of consideration than another. An honest man who tried 
to do right was entitled, they said, to as much respect as 
the king himself. So when they met a man of rank, they 
never addressed him by his title or removed their hats 
in his presence. In their meetings they had neither 
music nor preacher, but each member waited in silence 
for a message from God. If moved by the Spirit, a man 
or a woman rose and gave the message to the others. 

Their lives were guided by what their conscience told 
them was right or wrong. According to this " inner light," 
as they called it, all men ought to live in peace with one 
another, so they refused to serve in the army or to go to 
war. They also refused to pay taxes to support the Church 
of England, for they held that any one who felt called of 
God to do so could preach the Gospel, and should receive 
no pay for doing this solemn duty. Since the Bible said 
it was wrong to swear, they would take no oaths in the law 
courts. A man should tell the truth at all times, they 
thought, and therefore it ought not to be necessary for him 
to bind himself especially to do so by taking an oath. 

Very strange doctrines, some of you may say; but prob- 
ably the world would be happier and better to-day if more 
people carried into their daily life some of the things the 
Quakers taught. It was not long before the government 
took stern measures to check the spread of the Quaker 
faith. Its members were often fined, publicly flogged, or 
thrown into prison. We are sorry to find that even in 



THE QUAKERS 



227 



Massachusetts and Connecticut, where some of the Quakers 
sought refuge, the Puritans, forgetting their own sufferings 
for the sake of rehgion, treated the Quakers as cruelly as 
did the EngHsh government. But in spite of harsh treat- 
ment, the Quakers continued to come, for they were eager 
to make converts. Not 
until four of them had 
been hanged, did the 
Massachusetts colony 
relax in its persecution 
of the Quakers. 

But the history of 
the Society of Friends, 
both in England and 
in America, would be 
incomplete without an 
account of the life of 
their great leader, Wil- 
liam Penn. He was 
the son of a famous 
English admiral. Sir 
William Penn, and his 
mother, who was of 
Dutch descent, was a ^ <?"^^" ^'^^• 

woman of noble character. From her he inherited many 
of those traits which made him a great and unselfish man. 

The boy Penn was sent to Oxford University, where he 
excelled not only in his studies, but also in the athletic 
sports of the students. While there he became interested 
in the Quaker faith and was expelled from the university 
because he refused to attend chapel exercises. His father 

EXP. .1 K. — 15 




228 WILLIAM PENN 

was very angry, not so much because of the expulsion, but 
because he thought no gentleman's son could belong to 
that despised sect. So he sent young William to Paris, 
hoping that a residence in the gay city would cause him to 
forget the new faith. 

Apparently cured after two years of travel abroad, Penn 
returned to England, but the dreadful scenes of the great 
plague which broke out in London in 1665 again turned 
his thoughts toward the serious things of life. His father 
flogged him and sent him away, this time to Ireland. Here 
he served for a while in the army, but by chance came 
again under the influence of the Quaker preacher who had 
interested him in Oxford. This time his conviction became 
so sincere and earnest that he joined the Society of Friends 
and began to preach its doctrines. 

For preaching without authority from the church, he was 
arrested and imprisoned. While in prison he wrote books 
and pamphlets in behalf of his faith, and began there to 
make plans for a colony as a refuge for persecuted Quakers. 
This he hoped to make a self-governing colony where peo- 
ple should have justice and religious freedom. After his 
release from prison, he and his father became reconciled, 
largely through his mother's influence. Sir William died 
in 1670, but before his death he made his friends. King 
Charles II and the Duke of York, promise to befriend his 
son. This they did, and William Penn was always a stanch 
supporter of the crown. 

Admiral Penn was a wealthy man, and he left to his son 
a large estate. This enabled William to carry out his long- 
cherished scheme of colonization. He already had an in- 
terest in the New Jersey colony, so he asked the king for a 



PENNSYLVANIA 



229 



grant of land west of the Delaware River. This the king 
readily gave him, for Charles had borrowed ;^i6,ooo 
of Admiral Penn, and William Penn agreed to cancel the 
debt in return for the land. This territory, three hundred 
miles long and one hundred and fifty miles wide, Penn 
wished to call " Sylvania," or Land of Woods, but the 




Pennsylvania and Delaware. 

king added the name of Penn in honor of his friend, the 
Admiral. 

William Penn at once carried out his plans for the set- 
tlement of the new province. The first colony came over 
in 1 68 1, and the next year Penn himself came with about 
a hundred colonists. He wished his people to be free, 
sober, and industrious and " to be governed by laws of 
their own making " ; so he drew up a plan of government 
whereby they were assured of their rights and were given 
an important share in the making of the laws. Every tax- 
payer was to have the right to vote. The laws also 



230 



WILLIAM PENN 



provided that the Indians should be treated kindly ; that 
children should be taught a trade ; and that prisoners 
should be made to work. Only one condition was made 
necessary for citizenship or office holding, and this was 
that the man should be a Christian. 

Thus the " Holy Experiment," as Penn loved to call his 
government, was begun. One of the first things Penn 




Penn's treaty with the Indians. 

did upon his arrival was to gain the good-will of the In- 
dians. Under a spreading elm tree near the banks of 
the Delaware River, where to-day there is a great ship- 
yard, he met the Indians and exchanged pledges of friend- 
ship. He told them that he was nearer to them than a 
father or brother, and they replied that " so long as 
the sun and moon shall endure the Indians and Eng- 
lish must live together in love and peace." Then they 
gave him a belt of wampum in which were woven the 



PENNSYLVANIA 23 1 

figures of an Indian and a white man clasping hands. 
This treaty, a great Frenchman once said, was the only 
one which was never sworn to and never broken. 

Penn's colonists had already under his direction com- 
menced to lay out a city on the high ground at the junc- 
tion of the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers : to this he 
gave the name of Philadelphia, or the City of Brotherly 
Love. The location of the city was well chosen : it af- 
forded a good harbor for shipping, and its rivers were the 
natural roads for trade with the Indians, and for easy set- 
tlement. If you ever visit the city, you will see that its 
streets are wide and are laid out at right angles, not like 
the lower part of New York, where the streets run in 
every direction. This was due to the wise plan of Wil- 
liam Penn. He directed that the streets running north 
and south should be numbered, while those running east 
and west should bear the names of trees, as Chestnut, 
Walnut, Spruce, etc., or of fruits, as Mulberry or Rasp- 
berry. The lots were large, and the houses were to be 
built in the center of them so there should be room for 
lawns and gardens. The city grew rapidly, and within 
two years after its founding, had a population of nearly 
twenty-five hundred people. Indeed, it very soon became 
one of the largest and most important cities in America 
and a great center of the literary and commercial life of 
the colonies. 

A large number of Germans and Dutch came to the 
colony and added much to its industry and importance. It 
is said that more than twenty-five thousand of them settled 
in the Schuylkill valley region, and "Pennsylvania Dutch " 
is the native language of thousands to-day. Scotch-Irish 



232 WILLIAM PEXN 

immigrants later settled the central and western portions 
of Pennsylvania. 

A few years after Philadelphia was founded, Penn se- 
cured from the king a grant of land on Delaware Bay 
which was at first called the " Lower Counties on the 
Delaware." Penn at first added this to his colony of 
Pennsylvania, but the people of Delaware objected. He 
then allowed them to have a legislature of their own as a 
separate colony. The boundary line between Maryland 
and Pennsylvania caused much trouble, but, as we have 
seen, it was finally surveyed and marked off by Mason 
and Dixon. 

After living two or three years in Pennsylvania, Penn 
went back to England in order to help the poor Quakers 
there. He did not return to the colony until 1699. The 
intervening years were full of sorrow, for his enemies made 
him much trouble. When he returned to America, he ex- 
pected to spend the rest of his life here. He had two 
houses, one in the city of Philadelphia and another in the 
country. His country home on the Delaware River was 
very beautiful. It is said to have cost thirty-five thousand 
dollars. Here he entertained his friends lavishly. But he 
was not permitted to enjoy these possessions in peace. His 
enemies in England again caused him trouble, and he was 
forced to return there to protect his rights. He was even 
accused of treason and was at one time thrown into prison 
because he refused to pay an unjust claim made by a dis- 
honest agent. Through the influence of powerful friends, 
he was released from j^rison, but his health was broken 
and he died in 17 18. 

Penn was one of the most upright men of his times, and 



PENNSYLVANIA 



^11, 



in his life tried to serve God and to observe the precepts 
of the Golden Rule. The colony which he founded so 




William Penn. 



wisely has prospered, and has always been one of the lead- 
ing states of the Union. 



234 



WILLIAM PENN 



Topical Outline. — Colonies founded as places of refuge for persecuted 
peoples. The Quakers : their peculiar religious beliefs ; their sufferings 
in England and the colonies. William Penn, a wealthy young English- 
man, joins them : his early life ; his plans for his friends. Pennsylvania : 
reasons for its founding ; its name ; wise laws ; religious freedom ; trea- 
ties. Early settlement ; the city of Philadelphia : its streets ; its rapid 
growth. Progress of the colony. Penn's later life. 

For Written Work. — 1. Tell the story of William Penn as a young 
man. II. Describe the life and habits of the (2uakers. III. Tell the 
story of the treaty with the Indians. 

Map Work. — Note the location of Philadelphia between the Schuyl- 
kill and Delaware rivers. Why was this a good place for a city .'' 




Penn's house, Philadelphia. 



OGLETHORPE AND THE SETTLEMENT OF 
GEORGIA 

Within a hundred years after the settlement of Virginia 
in 1607, the English had made permanent settlements along 
the eastern coast of North America from Maine to South 
Carolina. The thirteenth and last English colony to be 
planted in the New World was Georgia. The storv of 
how this colony came to be established is an interesting 
one. Like Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, its existence 
was due largely to the energy and kindness of one man. 
To General James Edward Oglethorpe belongs the credit 
of the founding of Georgia. He was a brave English 
gentleman who gave the best part of his life and much of 
his fortune to help the poor and oppressed of his country. 

General Oglethorpe was a member of a well-known and 
wealthy English family. He was educated at Oxford Uni- 
versity, and like many other young men of his rank was 
attracted by a soldier's life. So he entered the army and 
served with credit under the Duke of Marlborough, one of 
England's greatest generals. In his campaigns in Hol- 
land and against the Turks, he had almost as many adven- 
tures as Captain John Smith had a hundred years before ; 
but he was a better fighter than writer, so he did not pub- 
lish an account of these expeditions. 

After some years Oglethorpe returned to England, in- 
tending to retire to private life, but his friends thought 
that so brave a man could serve his country in peace as 

23s 



236 OGLETHORPE 

well as in war. He was accordingly elected a member of 
Parliament, a body of English lawmakers like our Congress. 
Here he soon became interested in several reform move- 
ments intended to benefit the workingmen and the poor. 
It was a period of " hard times " in England. Many men 
were unable to find work, and as a result they and their 
famiUes suffered greatly. 

The law then provided that if a man failed to pay his 
debts, he could be put in prison, where he would be kept 
until he or his family could meet the claim. Now among 
the poor debtors there were many who had honestly failed 
because of sickness or some other cause for which they 
were not to blame. It was upon these unfortunates that 
this harsh law bore most heavily. Some of them were 
kept in jail for years because they could not pay debts 
amounting to only a few shillings. If you have read some 
of Dickens's novels, you will know that the English prisons 
in those days were not so well built or so well kept as they 
are now. 

Oglethorpe's attention was especially called to this evil, 
because a friend who had been sent to one of these 
debtors' prisons died there because of the bad air, poor 
food, and harsh treatment. The matter was brought be- 
fore Parliament, and laws were passed to remedy these 
evils. But Oglethorpe determined to do something more 
than simply bettering the prisons, or even releasing un- 
fortunate debtors from prison. He saw that if they were 
ever to succeed, they must have some work to do. So he 
conceived the plan of establishing a colony in America 
where all who were poor and unfortunate might come and 
begin life over again with some chance of success. In 



SETTLEMENT OF GEORGIA 



237 



this scheme he enlisted many prominent men, among 
whom were John and Charles Wesley, the founders of 
Methodism, and George Whitefield, one of the greatest 
preachers of that time. 

An association was formed of which Oglethorpe was 
made president, and a grant of land was obtained from 
George II, who 
was then king. 
This tract was 
south of the Sa- 
vannah River, 
between South 
Carolina and 
Florida, In this 
way the new col- 
ony was made 
to serve a double 
purpose. It not 
only offered a 
refuge for the 
poor of England, 
and for perse- 
cuted Protestants, but it also helped to protect the Carolinas 
from the troublesome Spaniards who occupied Florida. 
The new country was named Georgia in honor of the 
king who had granted the charter, and Oglethorpe was 
made its first governor. Public interest in England in 
favor of the scheme was readily awakened and a sum 
equal to more than a half million of dollars nowadays was 
raised, partly by the government and partly by private 
subscription, in order to provide the necessary funds for 




The Carolinas and Georgia. 



238 oc;letiiorpe 

its support. Probably no other English colony aroused 
greater interest or received more direct aid from the 
mother country. 

Oglethorpe himself was at the head of the first band of 
settlers. In the fall of 1732, the year of George Washing- 
ton's birth, they sailed from England in the good ship 
Ann. There were thirty-five families in the party, and 
they were well equipped with tools, arms, and stores. 
They first landed at Charleston, where the people gave 
them a cordial welcome. But the settlers were eager to 
reach their own territory, so they turned southward and in 
January of 1733 they entered the Savannah River. Sail- 
ing up the river a few miles, they found a place suitable 
for a settlement. Here they landed and began to mark out 
the squares and lots where the beautiful city of Savannah 
now stands. There were among the colonists carpenters 
and mechanics, as well as farmers, and it was not long be- 
fore homes and a blockhouse were erected in the wilder- 
ness. Oglethorpe, however, pitched his tent in a grove of 
pine trees and made that his home for nearly a year. 
Perhaps he preferred to camp out in the beautiful southern 
sunshine, for he had been a soldier and must have loved 
this free out-of-door life. 

The Indians soon made friends with the settlers, largely 
through the efforts of Mary Muskgrove, an Indian woman 
who spoke English. Some of the chiefs gave Oglethorpe 
a buffalo skin on which were painted the head and 
feathers of an eagle. With this gift they sent a message 
saying, " The feathers of the eagle are soft, signifying 
love ; the skin is warm, and means protection ; therefore, 
love and protect our little families." Oglethorpe always 



SETTLEMENT OF GEORGIA 



239 



tried to remember this, and for many years the whites and 
reds lived together like brothers. Although the king had 
given the terri- 
tory to the colo- 
nists, they felt 
that the Indians, 
also, had some 
claim to it, and 
they recognized 
these rights by 
purchasing land 
from the red 
men. 

Some of the 
laws which Ogle- 
thorpe made for 
governing the 
colony seem to 
us very wise. 
They certainly 
were in advance 
of the times. 
Slavery was forbidden, because it was hoped that the 
colonists would be more industrious and self-reliant if 
they had to depend upon their own labor for support. 
The importation and sale of rum was also checked, for 
the organizers knew that many of the colonists had been 
made "poor debtors" because they had foolishly spent 
their money for intoxicating liquor. 

When it was found that the mulberry tree grew readily 
in Georgia, silkworms were brought over and an attempt 




Oglethorpe and the Indians. 



240 



OGLETIIDRPE 




made to establish the silk industry in the colony. One of 
the first pieces of silk woven by the colonists was given to 
the queen of England for a dress. In later days, however, 
the raising of rice and indigo proved to be 
more profitable. The colony did not grow 
at first very rapidly, for the character of 
the settlers was not the kind which makes 
for success. A change of climate could 
not change their natures, and many of 
them were as lazy and improvident in 
Georgia as they had been in England. 
It was not long, however, before a better 
class of colonists were attracted to Georgia 
by the promise of religious freedom. 
Sturdy Scotch Highlanders in their kilts 
and plaids came over to the settlement. 
Sober and industrious Protestants from Germany soon 
after founded the town of Ebenezer. These people by 
their thrift and industry greatly aided the colony. 

Now the Spaniards in Florida claimed the territory 
which Oglethorpe and his associates had settled, and 
when the colony began to prosper, they became alarmed. 
About this time England and Spain were at war, and the 
Spaniards planned to destroy the English settlements 
upon the Savannah River. When the old soldier General 
Oglethorpe heard of this, he acted promptly. Summoning 
all the fighting men of the colony, he led an attack against 
the Spanish fort of St. Augustine in Florida. This 
failed, and to punish the Georgians for this attempt to cap- 
ture their city, the Spaniards, three years later, with 
several ships, made an attack on Georgia. A battle was 



A Scotch High- 
lander. 



SETFLEMENT OF GEORGIA 24 1 

fought at Frederica, and the Spaniards were defeated. 
Oglethorpe then sent to the Spanish army a spy who pre- 
tended that he was a deserter. This man told them that a 
number of British ships were expected within a few days. 
When the Spanish commander heard this, he hastened 
with his fleet back to Florida to escape the supposed Eng- 
lish fleet. This ended for a long time all trouble with 
Florida. 

Notwithstanding all that Oglethorpe had done for the 
colonists, they were ungrateful, and he was recalled to Eng- 
land. Charges were made against him of misconduct in 
his office as governor, but they proved to be false and he 
was promptly and honorably acquitted. Lacking his guid- 
ing hand in the control of the colony, its trustees became 
discouraged, and in 1752 gave up their charter to the king. 
Georgia then became a royal province, and its laws and 
form of government resembled those of most of the other 
colonies. The rules forbidding the holding of slaves and 
the importation of rum were repealed, and the people gen- 
erally were given a greater share in the government. 

General Oglethorpe never returned to America, but he 
always retained a warm interest in the colony. When the 
thirteen American colonies began their struggle for inde- 
pendence, the king of England asked Oglethorpe to take 
command of the British forces in America. He refused to 
do this, for he felt that the Americans had been unfairly 
treated by the mother country and that their demands 
were just. After the treaty of peace which gave us our 
independence had been signed in 1783, he expressed his 
dehght that the war was ended, and said that he hoped 
the two countries would ever afterward be friends. 



242 OGLETHORPE 

Some one who saw him about that time said that he was 
" the finest figure of a man you ever saw ; but very, very 
old, the flesh on his face like parchment." Even in his 
old age he was distinguished for his noble bearing, his 
eloquence, and his courtesy. He died in 1785, at the age 
of ninety-five, loved and honored by all. We Hke to think 
that the motto of the colony which he founded and for 
which he gave so much best describes him. On the great 
seal of the colony of Georgia were the words, " Not for 
themselves, but for others." The story of his kindness 
and of his labor for the poor and the oppressed shows 
that this, also, was the motto which guided his life. In his 
generous and unselfish devotion to the cause of the col- 
onists. General James Edward Oglethorpe stands conspicu- 
ous among the men who were builders of our country. 

Topical Outline. — Georgia, the last English colony planted in 
America. Its founder, General James Edward Oglethorpe, and his 
early life. His interest in reform movements. How poor debtors 
were treated in the eighteenth century. Reasons for the settlement of 
Georgia; public interest in the scheme. Settlement at Savannah. 
Friendship of the Indians. Things Oglethorpe would not permit in 
Georgia. Growth of the colony ; industries and occupations. War 
with the Spanish in Florida. The later years of Oglethorpe's life. 

Map Work. — Locate Savannah ; note its approximate distance from 
Charleston and St. Augustine. 



KING PHILIP'S WAR 

Massasoit, the chief sachem of the Wampanoag 
Indians, had two sons who, as little boys, often went to 
Plymouth with their father and played with the white 
children there. As these boys grew up, the people of 
Plymouth, interested in their ready wit and skill in athletic 
sports, called them Alexander and Philip, after the famous 
Macedonian conquerors. These names pleased Massasoit, 
as well as the boys. 

It will be remembered that in 1620, when the Pilgrims 
first came to Plymouth, a treaty of peace was made with 
Massasoit. This treaty was never broken during the rest 
of Massasoit's life — a period of forty years. 

In 1660, when Massasoit died, his son Alexander suc- 
ceeded him as the chief sachem of the tribe. Alexander 
and Philip loved their own Indians best, although they 
had known the Englishmen very well. They saw much 
more keenly than did their father, that the white people 
were rapidly gaining in numbers and power. They also 
realized that their tribe was lo.sing many acres of hunting 
grounds, and was being pushed back, and crowded into 
the undesirable portions of land. Had their father not 
sold land to the whites, Alexander and Philip would have 
had much more. 

The Indians generally could not understand the selling 
of land. As they understood things, land was something 

EXP. & F'. — 16 243 



244 KING PHILIP'S WAR 

that belonged to the tribe, and was held from generation 
to generation. If money was paid for it to the chief, they 
considered it as rent paid during his life, and supposed 
that on his death the land would revert to the tribe. Al- 
though Alexander and PhiHp knew the Enghsh point of 
view, they felt resentful, because as Indians they had the 
inherent beUef that land could not be permanently sold. 
These young Indians had also a haughty dignity, better 
described as snobbishness, acquired from their contact with 
the settlers. This manner, so unlike the quiet dignity 
of Massasoit, aroused the suspicion and dislike of the 
settlers. 

Some Indians resented the efforts made to convert them 
and were always suspicious of the " praying Indians." 
They believed that it was another method of stealing their 
lands and of weakening their tribe by making their war- 
riors like women. 

Soon after Alexander became sachem, rumors reached 
Plymouth that he was plotting mischief, so he was sum- 
moned to appear before the General Court. He went 
reluctantly, and succeeded in convincing the officers of 
the government that, like his father, he was the true 
friend of the white men. A friendly feast was enjoyed, 
and Alexander started back home, but was taken sick and 
died soon after. He may have caught cold and died of 
pneumonia, or he may have drunk too much rum. The 
Indians did not recognize such causes of death. In the 
Indian's experience all natural death was murder by 
musket, arrow, or tomahawk. If one died from disease, 
the Indians believed the cause was poison or witchcraft. 
It was most unfortunate that Alexander's death came on 



KING PHILIP'S WAR 245 

his return from a visit to the white people. Evidence 
was strong in favor of poison, and the story was accepted 
readily by all his tribe. Philip, his brother, became 
sachem and secretly plotted to have revenge. 

Rumors reached the English from time to time, but it 
was not till 1671 that they felt it necessary to summon 




The Indians hand over their muskets. 

Philip to renew the treaty of peace. In April of that year 
a meeting was arranged between him and three Boston 
men at Taunton. Philip was very humble, and consented 
to a treaty in which he promised that his tribe should give 
up their fire-arms. Seventy muskets were soon after 
handed over to the English ofificers. This was an unwise 
demand for the English to make ; it betrayed to the Indians 
that the EngHsh really feared them, and it was absolutely 
impossible to collect all the fire-arms. No one could know 
how many the Indians had, or where they were. In the 
next few months a good many scowls and grunts betrayed 
Indian displeasure. Again in September of the same 



246 KING nil I. ITS WAR 

year Philip was sent for, and this time he agreed to pay a 
yearly tribute of five wolves' heads, and to do no act of 
war without express permission. 

For three years nothing alarming took place ; then one 
day Sausaman, an Indian who had studied at Harvard, 
brought a message to Governor Winslow of Plymouth that 
PhiHp was about to strike. PhiHp heard of Sausaman's 
report and hastened to Plymouth and declared his inno- 
cence. A few days later Sausaman's dead body was 
found in a pond. His murder was traced to three young 
Wampanoags, who were tried and sentenced by a mixed 
jury of whites and Indians. After their execution the 
Indians broke loose from their enforced restraint. 

We must remember that at this time the white settlers 
numbered about sixty thousand people, scattered along the 
coast in many villages not far apart. The Indians were 
more dangerous enemies even than they had been fifty 
years before, because now they were armed with the white 
man's muskets, and as a rule were even better marksmen. 
There had been a law in the early '30's that no arms or 
powder should be sold to the Indians, but during the many 
years of peace this law had been ignored, and the whites 
had no idea how completely supplied the Indians were. 

On Sunday morning, June 20, 1675, while the people of 
Swansea were at church, a party of Indians stole into the 
town and set fire to two houses. As the people left church, 
several were shot on their way home. The people of 
Swansea were thoroughly aroused and sent to Boston and 
Plymouth for aid. When help came, the town had been 
sacked and burned, and nearly all the men, women, and chil- 
dren had been horribly tortured and killed. The whole 



KING PHILIP'S WAR 247 

country took alarm ; the people believed Philip to be the 
cause of the outbreak. A force of colonial troops started 
at once for Mount Hope, Philip's home, but he and his 
warriors fled. Some days later the Englishmen tracked 
the Indians to a swamp, but after thirteen days' siege 
Philip escaped. By this time, the whole tribe of Wampa- 
noags was armed, and raids and massacres were occurring 
in all parts of the English settlements. 

On the night of August 2, thirty or forty women and 
children, all the inhabitants of Brookfield, took refuge in a 
large house, where Philip with three hundred savages be- 
sieged them. The Indians shot arrows tipped with burn- 
ing rags to set fire to the roof of the house. The people 
in the garret of the house were well supplied with water, 
and they put out the fires as soon as they caught. From 
every window musket shots were so brisk and steady that 
the savages could not get near. For three days the siege 
was kept up, while every other house in the village was 
burned. Finally the Indians succeeded in making a rude 
cart of planks placed on barrels. This they loaded with 
chips, straw, and flax, to which they set fire, and then 
rolled the burning mass up against the house. 

The people hovering within the doors thought their case 
was hopeless, but just then it began to rain and the fire 
was put out. Meanwhile help was coming. VVillard, a 
man seventy years old, was leading a band of fifty horse- 
men from Groton, thirty miles distant. Just before sun- 
set he entered the town, and after a brisk fight the Indians 
fled. 

Early in September the Indians were defeated at Deer- 
field, but a week later they sneaked back in the night and 



248 



KING PHILIP'S WAR 



burned the town. On the same day they attacked the 
village of Hadley. There is a most interesting tradition 
of the appearance of a mysterious stranger who saved 
Hadley. The people were all in church when the Indian 
war whoop was heard. The men seized their guns and 




The attack on Hadley. 

rushed out, but the swarm of Indians on the village green 
struck them with terror. They hesitated, and were 
about to return to the church, when a stranger with white 
flowing beard and stately form suddenly appeared among 
them. He took command, and with the air of authority 
ordered a charge into the seething mass of yelling Indians. 
A sharp fight caused them to scatter as usual to the woods. 
The men of Hadley followed for a short distance. When 
they returned, they looked for their mysterious leader, but 
he was nowhere to be found. Many believed that he was 
an angel of deliverance sent from heaven. The old Gray 



KING PHILIP'S WAR 249 

Champion was undoubtedly General Goffe, one of the 
judges who condemned Charles I to death. When Charles 
II became king, Goffe sought refuge in New England and 
was known to have been in Hadley. Writers of that day 
did not wish to betray him, so we have no authentic proof. 

Deerfield and Northfield were abandoned, and the sur- 
vivors crowded into Hadley. But a large quantity of 
wheat had been left at Deerfield. Eighteen wagons with 
teamsters and farmers were sent to bring the wheat to 
Hadley. They were escorted by Captain Lothrop with his 
train-band of ninety picked men. The grain was gathered 
and the party made a night march homeward. At seven 
in the morning they were fording a shallow stream in a 
wood road when they were attacked by seven hundred In- 
dians in ambush. Only eight of the whites escaped. This 
" black and fatal day " is called " the saddest that ever 
befell New England." The place to this day is known 
as Bloody Brook. 

All New England was aroused. The colonists united 
more firmly to crush the Indians, who were elated and 
flushed with victory. Defenses were strengthened. Every 
man that could be spared went into the army, determined to 
clear the country of the savages. The Narragansetts had 
thus far appeared to be neutral, but the English had had 
reason to suspect them for some time. Then the report 
came that Canonchet, the Narragansett chief, was not only 
harboring Philip's followers, but was planning with him for 
a united attack on the English. 

The best way to prevent this disaster was to attack the 
Narragansetts before they started from their stronghold. 
They had fortified a piece of rising ground, six acres in 



250 KIXC; PHILIP'S WAR 

extent, in the middle of a swamp. The palisade was twelve 
feet in thickness and had but one opening, which could be 
entered only over the trunk of a fallen tree two feet in 
diameter. A blockhouse guarded this entrance. The 
Narragansetts were warned of the approach of the white 
men, and within their fortress were gathered two thousand 
of their best fighting men, with many women and children. 

It was a stormy day in the middle of December when 
the English marched eighteen miles through deep snow to 
this fortress. There were 985 white men in all, some 
from each of the New England colonies, including 300 
from Connecticut. They rushed for the entrance to the 
palisade over the tree trunk slippery with ice, and a volley 
from the blockhouse killed many of the Massachusetts 
men. Undaunted, those in the rear pressed on, passing 
over the prostrate bodies of their comrades. This was a 
surprise to the Indians, who expected the whites to flee. 
Some of the Connecticut men discovered a path leading 
to a weak spot in the rear of the palisade, and although the 
firing was heavy, they forced an entrance about the time 
that the main part of the army carried the main entrance. 
As soon as the entire English force came within the inclos- 
ure they made short work of the fight. One declared 
afterward that the " Lord had delivered up to them the 
heathen as stubble to his sword." They burned the wig- 
wams and the winter store of corn. Canonchet, the chief, 
and three or four hundred of his men escaped under cover 
of a blinding snowstorm. The English lost nearly one 
fourth of their number. 

This defeat of the Narragansetts greatly changed the 
situation. Canonchet had been one of the most powerful 



KING rillLIl'S WAR 



251 



chiefs in New England. He and his men were astounded 
at the fighting spirit of the English. It made them afraid. 
Roger Williams sent word to them that there were still 
ten thousand white men left who could carry muskets, and 
should all these be slain, the great father in England could 
send ten thousand more. Williams hoped that the Narra- 
gansetts would be wiUing to make peace, but they held 
out a few months longer. In March, Canonchet was cap- 
tured, and this broke their power. 

The real Indian character was well shown in these days. 
Many Indians had supposedly become Christians. The 
Rev. John Eliot and Roger Wilhams believed in their 
genuine conversion. But the blood of the savage proved 
stronger than their grasp of the Christian religion, for 
many of these " praying Indians " proved as treacherous 
as their heathen brothers. The Christian Indians were 
trusted, and had access to the English villages and homes, 
but they often used their privileges only to betray those 
who had befriended them. They acted as spies and were 
responsible for some of the most shocking cases of kid- 
naping of English women and children by the savages. 

Indian raids and massacres, largely instigated by Philip, 
had extended all through the settlements even into Maine 
and New Hampshire. The colonists now concentrated 
their efforts against Philip. The Wampanoags were cap- 
tured and killed whenever possible. Some showed an 
inclination to desert Philip and serve the English. One 
Indian who advised Philip to surrender was struck dead. 
His brother at once went to Captain Church and offered 
to lead him to Philip's hiding place. With a small band 
he found Philip in a swamp, and the great Indian sachem 



252 KING PHILIP'S WAR 

was then shot by an Indian. This was early on the morn- 
ing of August 12, 1676. 

Philip's death ended the war in southern New England. 
The Indians in that section were practically exterminated. 
But this result had cost New England dear. Thirteen 
villages had been totally destroyed, and forty others had 
suffered from fire. About seven or eight hundred fighting 
men had been killed, while many women and children had 
been captured or killed by the Indians. There were few 
families or individuals that had not lost some relative. 
The war debt of Plymouth was more than the total amount 
of the personal property of the colony ; that of the other 
colonies was also great. But King Philip's War was a 
greater loss to the Indians ; their power was broken, and 
henceforth they appear in New England history only as 
allies of the French. 

Topical Outline. — Massasoit\s sons, Alexander and Philip. Tlie 
Indians disliked increase of white settlers and sale of hunting lands. 
Why Philip went to war. Attaci<s on Swansea, Brookfield, Deerfield, 
Hadley. The attack on the Narragansetts. Work of Roger Williams. 
Philip's death. End of the war. 

For Written Work. — I. Tell the story of the Gray Champion at Had- 
ley. II. Suppose you were a little boy living in New England. 
Tell of the daily life in fear of the Indians. 



NATHANIEL BACON— THE GREAT REBELLION 

You remember that Virginia became a very prosperous 
colony. Tobacco was a valuable product and was raised 
in large quantities. Some negro slaves were brought in as 
field laborers, but for many years most of the work was 
done by white servants. Poles and Germans introduced 
glass making and other manufactures. As early as 1619 




Slaves rolling tobacco to market. 

the House of Burgesses was established. This was an 
assembly of representatives to make the laws, because the 
estates were so large and distances were so great that all 
the colonists could not meet together. 

In 1642, Sir William Berkeley was sent out to Virginia 
as governor, and he served as such for many years. When 
appointed governor, he was about forty years old. He 
was well educated and as a private gentleman was much 
liked, but as governor his ideas were too despotic for a 

253 



254 NATHANIEL BACON 

new country. He believed that as he was the king's rep- 
resentative in Virginia, he should rule like a king. He 
had an estate of a thousand acres, called " Greenspring, " 
not far from Jamestown, where he lived and entertained 
his friends in royal style. He was an aristocrat, believing 
that people were born to different social ranks. His 
opinions about education sound strange to us to-day, but 
they are perfectly in harmony with his ideas of govern- 
ment. In a report to his king he made the following 
statement : " I thank God there are no free schools [in 
Virginia] nor printing, and I hope we shall not have them 
these hundred years ; for learning has brought disobedience 
into the world, and printing has divulged them, and libels 
against the best government. God keep us from both." 
He believed that only gentlemen's sons should be educated. 

In 1670, a law was made limiting the right to vote to 
householders. This law deprived many young men of 
the right to share in electing representatives. Governor 
Berkeley was rightly considered responsible for it. As 
the growing of tobacco increased, and the planters were 
making money, the government required a tax to be paid 
when the tobacco was shipped from Virginia, and an- 
other when it landed in England. Besides these taxes, 
the planters were obliged to ship all the tobacco in Eng- 
lish vessels, and to pay whatever freight the master of the 
ship charged. In this way the profits of the planter 
were cut down. There were other forms of unjust taxa- 
tion, and the people became restless ; but Governor Berke- 
ley said that the government had a right to make any 
laws, and that the people should not complain. 

It was while the people were in this state of mind that 



THE GREAT REBELLION 255 

the Indian tribes along the frontier became troublesome. 
Jealous of the colonists, who were ever advancing into their 
territory, the Indians murdered people and burned crops 
and buildings, and made the life of the people in the 
border plantations very unsafe. A few forts with small 
garrisons of soldiers were supposed to protect the settlers, 
but they really did very little good. In the spring of 1676, 
there had been much disturbance, and five hundred Vir- 
ginians were ready to march against the Indians, but 
Governor Berkeley refused to allow them, saying that the 
forts furnished sufficient protection. 

One of the planters, owning a large estate lying on the 
frontier between the English settlements of Virginia and 
the Indian country, was Nathaniel Bacon. He was the 
youngest member of the governor's council, and was 
well educated. Young Bacon had large business interests, 
and was generally very much liked by all classes. 

In May, 1676, the Indians made a raid over his planta- 
tion, killing his overseer and some servants, and burning 
some buildings. Bacon and his neighbors felt it was time 
that efforts were made to drive the Indians out of the 
country. They banded together, and selected Bacon as 
their leader. The situation was pressing. Homes and 
families were at the mercy of the bloodthirsty savages. 
The planters felt that they were justified in arming in 
self-defense. Bacon accepted the command, sent to Gov- 
ernor Berkeley a statement of the need, and asked 
for a commission as military commander of this volunteer 
company to fight the Indians. Governor Berkeley, safe at 
Jamestown, did not realize the terrible anxiety of the peo- 
ple who lived in constant danger of Indian raids. He 



256 NATHANIEL BACON 

knew the people had many complaints against the govern- 
ment, and he feared to have them organized and armed, 
for they might turn against him after the Indians were 
disposed of, so he did not send a commission to Bacon. 
The Indians were still hostile and unchecked. Bacon led 
his men out against them without the governor's permis- 
sion. The undertaking was successful; one hundred and 
fifty Indians were killed, and many were taken prisoners. 
The rest of the tribe were driven to the mountains. When 
this was done. Bacon and the planters returned home. 

Governor Berkeley, on hearing that he had been dis- 
obeyed, declared Bacon a rebel. As the news spread, the 
people sided with Bacon. Governor Berkeley knew this, 
and wanted to pacify and win them to his side. He an- 
nounced that as the people seemed dissatisfied with the 
laws made by the present House of Burgesses, a new 
election would be held. This resulted in a House which 
not only sided with Bacon, but included Bacon himself as 
one of the members. 

To elect to the House a man declared a rebel, was open 
defiance of the governor. Bacon went to Jamestown to 
take his seat in the assembly, and was arrested at once. 
He was taken into the presence of Governor Berkeley. 
The interview must have been interesting. The stately 
governor, over seventy, felt that his authority had been 
ignored, and feared the results of any toleration of lawless- 
ness. Before him was a prisoner, the vigorous young 
Bacon of twenty-eight, whose home and property had 
suffered from the Indians, and who felt that the govern- 
ment had not done its duty, and that it was the right 
pf the people to protect themselves against the Indians. 



THE GREAT REBELLION 257 

Each man felt injured, but maintained a dignified manner. 
The governor said : — 

" Mr. Bacon, have you forgot to be a gentleman ? " 
"No, may it please your honor," Bacon replied. "Then 
I'll take your parole," said the governor. It looked then 
as if the trouble were over, but Governor Berkeley de- 
manded that Bacon should apologize for his conduct, on 
his knees in the presence of the governor and the council. 
Bacon not only apologized, but promised " to behave 
dutifully, faithfully, and peacefully in the future." He 
was then publicly pardoned by the governor and promised 
a commission as general of the Indian wars. 

When it became known that Bacon had been arrested, 
his friends poured into Jamestown, and when he was com- 
pelled to apologize on his knees, these friends resented it. 
The new House of Burgesses began to talk about repeal- 
ing tax laws and extending the right to vote. Governor 
Berkeley saw plainly that Bacon was a popular hero and a 
powerful man. The governor feared to give Bacon either 
a commission or his liberty, and after a few days he made 
his plans to re-arrest him. Bacon was warned in time, 
and fled from Jamestown. In three or four days he re- 
turned, marching at the head of six hundred armed men. 
The country was shouting the name of Bacon everywhere. 

The governor tried to order out the regular soldiers to 
stop the advance of Bacon, but the soldiers, too, were on 
the other side, and they delayed until Bacon and his 
men marched unhindered straight to the statehouse. The 
rebels halted on the green, and the fearless white-haired 
old governor walked out alone to meet them. Step- 
ping up to Bacon, the governor said, " Shoot me." Bacon 



258 



NATHANIEL BACON 



replied, " No, may it please your honor, we will not hurt 
a hair o5 your head, nor of any other man's. We are 
come here for a commission to save our lives from the 
Indians which you have so often promised, and now we 
will have it before we go." The commission was given, 




Governor Berkeley and Bacon. 

and Bacon and his six hundred men marched out of 
Jamestown to the Indian country. 

They had not been gone long when Governor Berkeley, 
after brooding over the incident, again declared Bacon a 
rebel. The governor considered Bacon's conduct a serious 
offense against good government. The proclamation that 
he was for the second time declared a rebel reached Bacon 
after a successful campaign against the Indians. He 
returned to Jamestown, where Governor Berkeley had col- 
lected troops. A fight ensued. The governor retreated. 



THE GREAT REBELLION 259 

and Bacon burned the town. The assembly passed laws 
framed by Bacon, which were to provide a better gov- 
ernment. These were long known as " Bacon's Laws." 

All this happened within a few weeks, but it meant a 
great deal. It was a rebellion. It was an armed rising 
of the people against a government that did not protect 
the governed. 

A hundred years later a Virginian, in drafting the Dec- 
laration of Independence, said : " All people have the 
rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Gov- 
ernments are instituted among men to secure these rights. 
If the government fails, it is the right of the governed 
to alter or replace such government." Bacon believed 
it the duty of the people to alter the government of 
Virginia. Arming in defense against the Indians was 
one step, and Bacon's Laws were the second step. He 
probably would have done much more, had his life been 
spared. But exposure and the hard life during the 
summer had brought on a fever from which he died in 
October of 1676, less than six months after the first ex- 
pedition against the Indians. His friends were so afraid 
that Governor Berkeley would hang Bacon's dead body 
to a gibbet as a traitor that they secretly sank the coffin 
in the York River. 

After the death of Bacon, his followers disbanded. But 
the governor did not let them all go back to their planta- 
tions. Some were arrested and put in prison, twenty- 
three were executed, and many more were deprived of 
their property. The old governor grew bitter and merci- 
less. Charles II said of him, "That old fool has hanged 
more men in that naked country than I have done for 
Exi'. ji F. — 17 



260 NATHANIEL BACON 

the murder of my father." Such bitter complaints were 
made that Governor Berkeley was recalled to England, 
where he died in July, 1677. 

Governor Berkeley's ideas belonged to the past, and to 
monarchy. They were unsuited to the life of a new and 
unsettled country. He was a bit of the Old World set 
down in a wilderness, whose life he could not understand. 
The young and impetuous Bacon saw the needs of the 
people, of whom he was one. He was the product of the 
New World and the new conditions, and had no patience 
with a governing machine that existed not for the benefit 
of the people, but for those having the government in 
charge. Bacon's Laws were largely repealed, and old laws 
revived, but the people of Virginia never forgot the mean- 
ing of Bacon's Rebellion, and the governors knew what 
the people might do if occasion demanded. 

Topical Outline. — Prosperity of Virginia. Governor Berkeley and 
his aristocratic ideas. Severe laws. Danger from Indian raids. 
The attack on Bacon's estate. What Governor Berkeley did. What 
Bacon and other planters did. The new election. The quarrel be- 
tween Bacon and Berkeley. Jamestown burned. Bacon's laws. Ba- 
con's death. 

For Written Work. — I. Governor Berkeley writes to an English friend 
telling what he thinks of Bacon. 11. Bacon gives his reasons for his 
conduct. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — STATESMAN, 
SCIENTIST, WRITER 

In 1706 in the little city of Boston, Massachusetts, a 
child was born who was destined to become famous. 
His name was Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin's parents 
came from sturdy English stock and were sober, indus- 
trious people. He inherited from them a sound body and 
an active mind, but not much else, for the household was 
large and there were many little ones to feed and clothe. 
In a family of seventeen children he was the youngest boy, 
so you see he had plenty of playmates at home. When he 
was eight years old, Benjamin was sent to the Boston 
Grammar School, where he remained for two years. His 
father thought of fitting him for the ministry, but Ben- 
jamin, like many boys in seaport towns, wanted to be a 
sailor. This desire was greatly increased, because at the 
age of ten years young Franklin was taken out of school 
and put at work in his father's shop. His father was a 
candle maker, and Benjamin was soon busy learning the 
trade. This became so distasteful that his father, in order 
to keep him from running away to sea, determined to find 
some work the boy would like. 

So Benjamin was taken about Boston where he could 
see carpenters, bricklayers, and other laborers at work, 
with the hope that he would select a trade in which he 
might succeed. 

261 



262 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 



It may seem strange to you that so young a boy was 
obliged to earn his own living. In those days, however, 
most children were expected to help in the support of the 
family. This was why Franklin was taken from school 
at an age when boys nowadays are busy with their books. 
He was an active boy, fond of all outdoor sports. He was 

a good swim- 
mer, and early 
showed some 
inventive gen- 
ius, by rigging 
up paddles and 
other devices to 
aid him in swim- 
ming rapidly. 
One of his de 
\ices was a kite 
which helped 
to draw him 
through the 
water when he 
held the string. 
He seems also 
to have been 
very fond of 
reading. Fortunately, the few books to which he had ac- 
cess were good ones — such as "Robinson Crusoe," Plu- 
tarch's "Lives," and "Pilgrim's Progress." It was this 
marked taste for reading that finally determined Benjamin's 
choice of a trade. His half-brother, James Franklin, was a 
printer, and to him Benjamin was apprenticed. The boy 




Franklin as a printer. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 263 

now learned to set type, and also made good use of his 
greater opportunity to read. He was soon deep in such 
hard books as Locke's " Essay on the Human Under- 
standing " and Addison's "Spectator." He made a care- 
ful study of the "Spectator" in order that he might learn 
to write well. He would read one of the essays, then 
close the book and attempt to rewrite it in his own words. 
Then by comparing his work with the original he would 
see his mistakes. In this way he trained himself to speak 
and write simply and clearly. 

When Benjamin was fifteen years of age, his brother 
began to print the " New England Courant," one of the 
first newspapers published in America, and for this paper 
Benjamin wrote some articles. He was afraid that if he 
were known as their author, they would not be accepted, so 
he used to put them at night under the door of the print- 
ing house. When several had been accepted and printed, 
he acknowledged their authorship. About this time 
James Franklin got into trouble with the government 
about some criticisms which the "Courant" made of the offi- 
cers, and it became necessary to publish the paper under 
Benjamin's name. This arrangement was continued for 
about a year. During this time the elder brother treated 
Benjamin with severity, and the feeling of bitterness which 
had gradually been aroused between the two became so 
strong that Benjamin made up his mind to leave his 
brother's employ. Being unable to find work in Boston, 
largely through his brother's opposition, young Franklin 
resolved to seek his fortune elsewhere. 

He first went on a sailing vessel to New York, but there, 
also, he was unable to find employment. Benjamin was 



264 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 

a boy who was not easily discouraged, and when some one 
told him that there was more opportunity in Philadelphia, 
he determined to go there. After a rough passage by 
boat, he reached Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and started 
to walk the rest of the distance. At Burlington he 
found a boat that was going down the river to Philadel- 
phia, and he was permitted to go in it. When he reached 
Philadelphia, weary and hungry, he had but a silver dollar 
in his pocket. He tells the story of how he bought three 
rolls of bread and started up Market Street wilh a roll 
under each arm and eating the third. In the doorway of 
one of the houses he passed, a young girl was standing. 
Her name was Deborah Read, and she little thought that 
the awkward boy at whom she laughed would in a few 
years become her husband. 

Franklin found employment at his trade and worked 
so faithfully that he was soon noticed by prominent 
people in the colony. The governor, Sir William Keith, 
took an especial liking to the boy and offered to help set him 
up in business. So in 1724 young Franklin, encouraged 
by Keith's promises, started for England to buy a press 
and some type. It was a long journey for an eighteen- 
year-old boy to make, and on his arrival in London he was 
greatly disappointed to find that the governor had not kept 
his promise to furnish letters and money for the enterprise. 
Many boys set adrift in a great city and in a strange land 
would have given up in despair, but Benjamin went pluckily 
at work at his printer's trade. Early in life he drew up 
for his own guidance and self-improvement some " Rules of 
Conduct," and these he faithfully followed, both in times of 
prosperity and in times of trouble, even when an old man. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 265 

Two years later, having saved some money, Franklin 
returned to Philadelphia and soon set up for himself as 
a printer. In 1729, he bought the " Pennsylvania Gazette," 
and from that time prospered. The paper soon had the 
largest circulation in the colonies. Franklin engaged also 
in a general printing and stationery business, and in 1732 
began the publication of an almanac which he called 
" Poor Richard's Almanac." This he continued for twenty- 
five years with an average annual sale of ten thousand 
copies. The sayings of Poor Richard which were scat- 
tered through the pages of this almanac each year, made 
Franklin famous. No book ever pubHshed in America 
has had greater influence in teaching the people habits of 
thrift and honesty. Every boy and girl should know and 
understand some of these wise proverbs, which are still 
commonly quoted to-day : — 

" Little strokes fell great oaks." 

" Lost time is never found again." 

*' One to-day is worth two to-morrows." 

" He that hath a trade hath an estate." 

" God helps those that help themselves." 

" Diligence is the mother of good luck." 

" Early to bed and early to rise, 
Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." 

" Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee." 

" Rather go to bed supperless tlian rise in debt." 

" Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge." 

" Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other." 

" He that riseth late must trot all day and shall scarce overtake his 
business at night." 

" But dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that is the 
stuff life is made of." 

Franklin at once began to take an interest in public 



266 



BENJAMIN' !• RAN KLIN 



affairs. He organized a literary club of young men which 
was called the "Junto," and this came to be in later years 
the great Philadelphia library. He founded the first fire 
company in America. He organized the police force of 

the city and 
aided in starting 
an academy 
which is now the 
University of 
Pennsylvania. 
In the public 
affairs of both 
city and colony 
he was promi- 
nent, for the 
people trusted 
him. He became 
])ostmaster of 
Philadelphia, 
and a member of 
the colonial leg- 
islature, and 
afterward post- 
master-general of 
all the colonies. 
Indeed, it would be difficult to name all the public offices 
he filled, always with honor. 

Franklin believed that a man should make enough 
money to live on comfortably before he was past middle 
age, and then devote himself to public interests. So he 
practically retired from business when he was but forty- 




Franklin and the kite. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 267 

two years old. He turned, then, to the study of the 
sciences, in which he had been always greatly interested. 
He invented an open stove to give more heat with less 
wood than was required by the fireplaces then in use. 
He showed how farmers could raise better crops by using 
fertilizers. He advised the use of oil to quiet the waves 
during a storm. But the greatest discovery he ever made 
was his proof that Hghtning is the same thing as electric- 
ity. Making a kite out of silk and flying it with a hempen 
cord, he was able to draw so much electricity from a thun- 
der cloud that he could get sparks from an iron key which 
was fastened to the kite string. As a result of this, he in- 
vented the lightning rod. These discoveries and inventions 
made him world-famous. 

He was soon called upon for other public services. 
The French and Indian War was threatening, and in 1754 
he met at Albany with delegates from other colonies to 
make plans for this war. Here he offered a " Plan of 
Union " for a general government of the colonies, which 
was approved by the delegates at Albany, but was not 
adopted by the colonies. He also used his influence to 
aid General Braddock in getting supplies for the unfor- 
tunate expedition against Fort Duquesne. 

In 1757, he was sent to London as the representative of 
the colony of Pennsylvania, and was received with great 
honor in the city where thirty years before he had worked 
as a poor printer boy. 

After the close of the French and Indian War, the 
English government commenced that series of laws un- 
justly taxing the colonies, which finally led to the American 
Revolution. The first of these was the Stamp Act, and 



268 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 

Franklin acted as agent for several colonies in opposing 
this act and other measures against the colonies. He 
stayed in London for many years trying to avert the war. 
At last in 1775, when he saw that a reconciliation between 
the king and the colonies was impossible, he sailed for 
home. 

War had begun when he reached Philadelphia, the battle 
of Lexington had been fought, and the Americans had 
commenced to make earnest preparations for the conflict. 
Franklin was at once elected a member of the second 
Continental Congress, and took an active part in its work. 
He was a member of the committee which drafted the 
Declaration of Independence, and when he signed it on 
July 4, 1776, he said, with grim humor, " Now, gentlemen, 
we must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang 
separately." 

It was felt by Congress that in view of Franklin's long 
residence abroad and his wide acquaintance with public 
men, he was best fitted to represent the cause of the col- 
onies there, so he was sent to France in the hope that he 
could get that powerful nation to help us in the struggle. 
He soon gained the friendship of the king, the statesmen, 
and the people, and in 1778 secured an open treaty by 
which France gave aid to the United States. He re- 
mained in Paris until the close of the war, and in 1783 
was one of those \^ho arranged and signed the treaty of 
peace between Great Britain and the United States. 

Returning to America in 1785, he expected to pass the 
few remaining years of his life in peace and quiet. He 
was now a very old man, but his fellow-citizens insisted 
upon further public service, and elected him governor of 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 



269 



Pennsylvania. Two years later he was the oldest member 
of that great convention which met in Philadelphia and 
drafted the Constitution of the United States. He said 
of himself at this time, " I seem to have intruded myself 
into the company of posterity when I ought to have been 
abed and asleep." 




Franklin at the French court. 

But he lived long enough to see the country he loved 
so well and served so faithfully an independent nation, 
with its people contented and free, and the blessings of 
liberty and union, for which he had struggled, assured to 
them. He died April 17, 1790, honored as no other 
American had been, with the possible exception of Wash- 
ington. 

Many men have become famous as soldiers or statesmen 
or writers, but very few have achieved marked success in 



270 BENJAMIN I-RANKLIN 

more than one kind of endeavor. Franklin was one of 
those few great ones in the world's history. His fame is 
many-sided. He was the greatest statesman, the greatest 
scientist, and the greatest author America produced in 
the eighteenth century. 

Topical Outline. — Franklin's early life, work and play, apprentice- 
ship, love for reading. Wliy he left home and sought work in New 
York and Philadelphia. The journey to London and its results. 

Franklin's work as an author and publisher. " Poor Richard's Alma- 
nac" and its influence on the American people. 

Franklin's work as a scientist and man of public spirit. His inven- 
tions and public benefactions. 

Franklin's work as a statesman. The Albany Plan of Union. The 
Stamp Act proceedings. Agent of colonies in England. Member of 
Continental Congress. Declaration of Independence. Getting aid 
from France. Signing treaties with France and England. Governor 
of Pennsylvania. The Constitutional Convention. 

For Written Work. — Tell how you think Franklin came to be a great 
man. Show how his good habits, his love for reading, and his strong 
traits of character aided him to become successful. 

Map Work. — Trace Franklin's first journey from Boston to Philadel- 
phia (pp. 263, 264; map, p. 229). 



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Folly is praftifcd every Day at Vendues, 

tor want of minding the Almanack. 

V^'fi A/f«, as Poor Ditk fays, learn by 

•ms, poots Jc 

X qtum fac 
cautian. Many a one, for the Sake of 
Finery on the Back, have gone with a 
hungry Belly, and half ftaived their Fa- 
milies J Silks and Satti/is, Scarlet andyel- 
'vets, as Poor Richard fays, put out the 
Kitch^ Fire. Thcfe are not the NtctJTa- 
ries of Life j they can fcareely be called 
the Convenieucies, und yet only becaufe 
they look pretty, how many -want to 

6 ^<3i;^them. ^ht artificial Wants of Man- 

7 kind thus become more numerous than 

8 the natural j and, as Poor Dick fays, For 
one poor Perfon, there are an hundred in 
digent. By thefe, and other Extrava 
ginoies, the Genteel are reduced to Po- 
verty, and forced to borrow of tliofe 
whom they formerly defpifed, but wlio 
through Indujli-y and Frugahfjihswe main- 

|5 tained their Standing} in which Cafe it 
appears plainly, that a. Ploughman on bis 
Legs is higher than a Gentleman on bis 
Knees, as Poor Richard fays. Peril a ps 
they have had a fniall Eftate left them 
D * whioh 



A page from " Poor Richard's Almanac.'' 



(270 




-73 



GENERAL BRADDOCK AND FORT DUOUESNE 

We recall that Cartier and Champlain explored the St. 
Lawrence River, and took the land in the name of the 
king of France. The towns of Montreal and Quebec 
were settled by the French, and in a few years many 
French homes and farms were scattered along the river 
between these two cities, and some farther west. We 
recall also that La Salle, another Frenchman, explored 
the Mississippi River and took that valley in the name 
of the king of France. New Orleans was founded, and 
many forts and trading posts sprang up along the river. 
The French possessions reached from the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence on the northeast, to the Gulf of Mexico in 
the south. But Montreal and Quebec were separated 
from New Orleans by miles of unsettled wilderness. 

The English colonies stretched in a narrow strip along 
the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida. As the English 
grew rapidly in population, their settlements spread to the 
Appalachian Mountains. The easiest places to cross this 
barrier were along the valleys of the Hudson River and 
Lake Champlain, and by passes over the Allegheny 
Mountains, between the Potomac and Ohio valleys. Lake 
Champlain was held by the French. But in the Ohio 
valley the king of England granted many thousand square 
miles of rich farm lands to a company of Virginians, called 
the Ohio Company. While English settlers were prepar- 
ing to occupy this territory, the French began to build 

274 



FORT DUQUESNE 



275 



forts along the river banks. The English had long had 
good reason to hate the French, for many of the Indian 
raids and massacres had been prompted by the French, 
who wanted the whole of America for themselves. Gov- 
ernor Dinwiddle, of Virginia, sent George Washington 
out to the Ohio valley to demand of the French that they 
withdraw from the land claimed bv the Eniflish. The 




Fort Duquesne. 

French commander sent back a curt reply that the land 
in question belonged to France, as it was part of the 
Mississippi valley. Two hostile peoples claimed the same 
land. 

Governor Dinwiddle then sent a company of men to 
build a fort at the place where the Allegheny and Monon- 
gahela rivers unite to form the Ohio. Before the work was 
finished they were compelled to surrender to the French, 
who completed the fort and named it Fort Duquesne. 
Washington was returning with 400 men when this word 



2/6 GENERAL BRADDOCK 

reached him. He pushed on to a place called Great 
Meadows, where he hurriedly built Fort Necessity. Early 
in July, 1754, he was attacked by a much larger French 
force and after nine hours of fighting surrendered the 
fort on good terms. He and liis men returned to Virginia, 
and made ready for war. The governor of Virginia 
raised soldiers at home, and sent to England for more. 
The English government in 1755 sent out a thousand 
regulars under General Braddock. 

General Edward Braddock had been in the English 
army since 17 10, a service of forty-five years. He had 
served faithfully on many foreign battle fields. His expe- 
rience, however, had been with the disciplined armies of 
civilized nations. He was no longer young, and habits 
formed and long practiced were hard to change. The 
warfare in the New World offered problems that were 
more difficult for him than they would have been for a 
younger and less experienced man. 

Soon after landing in Virginia, General Braddock called 
a council of the governors of the English colonies and 
other distinguished men. This council determined on a 
plan of war. It was decided to attack several French 
strongholds at the same time. This meant that a large 
army must be raised by the colonies and divided into sec- 
tions to act independently of each other. 

Braddock commanded the expedition against Fort Du- 
quesne. His army consisted of the British regulars and 
some Virginia volunteers. After many delays, these men 
gathered horses, wagons, and supplies, and in May, 1755' 
started on their long march. They had to cut their way 
through the forests and over the mountains of Maryland 



FORT DUQUESNE 277 

and western Pennsylvania. Their line of march usually 
extended about four miles. The historian Parkman says, 
" It was like a thin, long, party-colored snake, red, blue, 
and brown, trailing slowly through the depth of leaves, 
creeping round inaccessible heights, crawling over bridges, 
moving always in dampness and shadow, by rivulets and 
waterfalls, crags and chasms, gorges and shaggy steeps." 

On the march, word reached them that a fresh body of 
French troops was rapidly approaching Fort Duquesne 
from Canada. Washington then advised Braddock to 
leave the heavy baggage in the rear and to push on 
with a smaller company of the best troops. The advice 
was taken, and Washington wrote his brother, " The 
prospect conveyed infinite delight to my mind, though I 
was excessively ill at the time. But this prospect was 
soon clouded, and my hopes brought low indeed when I 
found that, instead of pushing on with vigor, without 
regarding a little rough road, they were halting to level 
every molehill, and to erect bridges over every brook, by 
which means we were four days in getting twelve miles." 
Indeed, it was July before they came near Fort Duquesne. 

This fort stood on the point of land at the junction 
of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, having water 
on two sides. The other two sides were protected by 
ramparts, ten feet thick, of squared logs filled in with 
earth. A stockade of upright logs twelve feet high, very 
closely set and tightly fastened together, protected the 
two water sides. The forest near by had been cleared, so 
that no enemy could approach the fort without being 
exposed to the fire of the French guns. The garrison 
consisted of several companies of French regulars, 



278 GENERAL HRADDOCK 

Canadian colonists, and at least eight hundred Indian 
allies. 

An Indian runner brought word to the fort that Brad- 
dock was approaching. The French commander deter- 
mined to meet him and prevent an attack on the fort. A 
part of the army was left at Fort Duquesne, while about 
nine hundred French, Canadians, and Indians started out 
to meet the advancing English. It was not long before 
the orderly array of English regulars in their red coats, 
and the Virginians in blue, were clearly seen through the 
trees. The French and Indians rushed into the woods on 
each side of the road by which the army was approaching. 
A few shots from the Indians gave warning to the Eng- 
lish that the enemy was at hand. They halted and fired 
a volley. This was useless, for neither an Indian nor a 
Frenchman could be seen, as they were hidden by trees, 
or in ravines. The English and the Virginians, on the 
other hand, were massed in platoons in a narrow roadway, 
and furnished an easy mark for the shots of the enemy. 
The Virginians understood the situation, and, like Indians, 
scattered to cover and shot from behind trees, stones, and 
stumps ; but the English regulars became confused and 
huddled together, cowering under the shower of bullets. 
After a little, the regulars recov^ered themselves and tried 
to follow the example of the Virginians and get shelter ; 
but Braddock, fearless and furious, dashed up and down 
the line, calling the men cowards, and shouting orders to 
hold ranks and fire. One report of the battle says that 
the English firing did much damage to trees, but little to 
the enemy. 

Four horses were shot under Braddock. Washington, 



FORT DUQUESNE 



279 



though only twenty-three, was equally conspicuous. Two 
horses were killed under him, and his clothes were torn 
by four bullets, yet he escaped without a wound. Wash- 
ington urged Braddock to order the men to adopt the In- 
dian and French methods, but Braddock scorned such 
advice. 

The fighting lasted three hours. Of eighty-six English 







yii.^ 




*ry',;. 


•,..^.4 


»as 


^ ■^"'9 


4tr^«'^ 


^P^^^'i.'^* 


■y -•^r-- 




^^> 


Pflfe 


.-'' ^-.-i. 


m^m 


fe" 




Pi 




^.' vF^ 


' ^*=sr* - ■ '-A i 


^'^ 


En^^^^^l^^n^^H^^^^^^Hj 


*>- '^^^. 


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^•^ 



Braddock's defeat. 



officers, sixty-three were either killed or wounded, and more 
than half of the privates were killed. Braddock then or- 
dered a retreat. The English regulars, frenzied from their 
awful experience, fled in a panic, throwing away their weap- 
ons as they went. As General Braddock was trying to 
bring order out of this confusion, he was wounded and fell 
from his horse. Washington and the Virginians then cov- 
ered the retreat of the English regulars until they were 
safely on their way to Philadelphia. 



28o GENERAL BRADDOCK 

Braddock suffered greatly for several days before his 
wound proved fatal. His mind appeared clear, and oc- 
casionally he would talk. Once he said, " We shall know 
better how to deal with them another time." Evidently in 
his last hours he realized the wisdom of Washington's ad- 
vice, for he warmly praised the conduct of the Virginia 
troops. When he died, his men buried him in the road, and 
the soldiers and baggage train passed over his grave to 
destroy every trace, so that the Indians should not dis- 
cover it. 

Washington was soon put in command of the troops to 
protect this part of the frontier, and a few years later Fort 
Duquesne was taken by another English army, in which 
Washington was one of the leaders. 

Topical Outline. — The French on the St. Lawrence and the Missis- 
sippi. English colonies along the Atlantic coast. Rival claims to the 
Ohio valley. War between English and French. Braddock and the 
English regulars. The plan of war. Braddock's defeat and death. 

For Written Work. — L As an English soldier, tell of your experience 
on the day of the battle. II. Let Braddock tell why he considered it 
cowardly to seek shelter from the enemy's bullets. 



MONTCALM, THE FRENCH GENERAL 



When war between the French and the English in 
America was declared, the F.rench sent a small army of 
twelve hundred regular troops to the New World under 
the command of Montcalm. He was to act as com- 
mander in chief of Canadians and Indians 
as well as other French colonists and regular 
troops. He was to plan defenses of im- 
portant points and carry on both defensive 
and aggressive warfare. He was a man 
well fitted for this difficult work. 

Montcalm entered the French army at 
the age of fifteen and had served twenty- 
nine years when he was sent to Canada. 
When still a schoolboy, he wrote his father 
what his aim in life should be : " First, to 
he an honorable man, of good morals, 
brave, and a Christian. Secondly, to read 
in moderation ; to know as much Greek and 
Latin as most men of the world ; also 
arithmetic, history, geography, arts, and 
sciences. Thirdly, and above all, to be obedient, docile, 
and very submissive to your orders and to those of my 
dear mother." This boyish ideal influenced his whole 
life, and men believed that he was as good as he had 
hoped to be. 

281 




A French solJier. 



282 MONTCALM 

Montcalm and his troops left France in April, 1756, and 
endured a very cold and stormy voyage of seven weeks 
before they reached Quebec. After examining and im- 
proving the defenses of Quebec, Montcalm moved up the 
river to Montreal, where he spent the greater part of his 
time for two years. 

One day in the summer of 1756, Indian runners brought 
word that the English were preparing to attack the French 
forts on Lake Champlain. Montcalm at once sent reen- 
forcements to strengthen the garrisons, and a band of French 
and Indians pushed on to meet the English. A young 
French captain in this division of the army wrote to his 
father : " The forests are full of game, ducks, geese, wild 
partridges, bears, and beavers. . . . We are making here a 
place that history will not forget. The English colonies 
have ten times more people than ours ; but the wretches 
have not the least knowledge of war ; and if they go out 
to fight they must abandon wife, children, and all they 
possess. ... It is incredible what a quantity of scalps 
the Indians bring us. These miserable English are in the 
extremity of distress, and repent too late the unjust war 
they began against us." But the English attack was de- 
layed ; instead Montcalm hastened to Oswego, and cap- 
tured and destroyed the fort which the English had built 
there. 

Next year Montcalm led an expedition against Fort 
WiUiam Henry, which was held by Colonel Monro with 
twenty-two hundred men. With the aid of his Indian allies 
Montcalm was able to surprise and capture the outposts and 
burn the barracks around the fort. He then summoned Colo- 
nel Monro to surrender. Monroexpected help from General 



THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 



283 



Webb, who was at Fort Edward, but a few miles away, with 
sixteen hundred more men ; he replied, " I will defend my 
trust to the last extremity." The French opened fire. No 
help came from Webb. The small band of EngHsh in Fort 
William Henry made a brave de- 
fense through a six days' siege. 
Half of their guns had burst, and 
their ammunition was almost gone. 
Colonel Monro knew there was no 
hope, and surrendered. 

Montcalm required the Indian 
allies to attend the council, in order 
to make terms of surrender binding 
on them, as well as on the French 
and English. " The garrison were 
to march out with the honors of 
war, carrying their private effects 
and delivering up the fort with 
the intrenched camp, artillery, and 
provisions to his most Christian 
majesty, the King of France." It 
was further agreed that the English 
garrison should not take up arms 
again in eighteen months, and 
that they should be given a French 
escort to Fort Edward. But next morning, when the Eng- 
lish survivors with their arms and baggage started on 
their march, the Indians fell upon them. Attacked so 
unexpectedly, the soldiers were thrown into a panic and 
became separated. Many were killed, and six hundred 
were taken captive by the Indians. Montcalm was unable 




Forts in northern New York. 



284 MONTCALM 

to control the Indians ; but he afterward secured the re- 
lease of more than half the prisoners. News of this 
massacre aroused the colonists from New England to 
the CaroHnas. 

The next year the English collected a very large force 
and attacked the French at Ticonderoga, but again were 
defeated. 

Thus far, the French had been successful. After two 
years of fighting, nothing had been gained by the English. 
The English government had sent out incapable men, and 
the colonists had been greatly divided on questions con- 
nected with the war. Repeated reverses and shocking 
massacres like that at Fort William Henry led both the 
English government and the colonial governments to 
adopt better methods. New and better officers were sent 
out from England, and more soldiers were raised in the 
colonies. Very soon there was a change, and for the next 
two years the victories were more largely English than 
French. 

First and most important of these English victories was 
the capture of Louisburg, the stronghold which com- 
manded the entrance to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 
Next, in spite of Montcalm's able efforts. Fort Frontenac 
and Fort Duquesne were taken, and then Niagara and the 
forts on Lake Champlain fell into the hands of the Eng- 
lish. In the spring of 1759 a powerful English fleet of fifty 
ships, with an army of eight thousand picked men under Gen- 
eral Wolfe, started for Canada, to attack Quebec. Montcalm 
had expected that the English would make this move, and 
made ready for siege or attack. Quebec is located on a 
high, rocky bluff extending into a bend of the St. Law- 



THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 285 

rence River. The situation is finely adapted by nature for 
defense. Montcalm placed his batteries in commanding 
positions and ordered all men, young and old, to the de- 
fense of the city. All told, including French regulars, 
Canadians, and Indians, Montcalm had at least sixteen 
thousand troops encamped in the city and along the river 
six or seven miles toward the east. Montcalm decided to 
remain on the defensive and to take no risks in attempt- 
ing to check the advance of the English up the river. 

After the English arrived, Montcalm was constantly on 
the watch to be ready to defend, if Wolfe attacked his 
position at any point. On September 2, he wrote : " The 
night is dark ; it rains ; our troops are in their tents with 
clothes on, ready for an alarm ; I in my boots ; my horses 
saddled. In fact, this is our usual way. I have not taken 
off my clothes since the 23d of June." 

About this time word was received by both armies that 
the English had been successful at Oswego and at Ticon- 
deroga ; and that the victorious General Amherst was to 
move north to join Wolfe. This was disheartening to the 
Canadians, and Montcalm found them very difficult to 
control. Many deserted and furnished Wolfe valuable 
information as to the location and condition of French 
troops. 

On September 13 the great battle took place, west of 
Quebec, of which we shall read in the next chapter. 
When it was over, the French and Canadians were de- 
feated. Montcalm was wounded as he was desperately 
trying to rally his men. He was carried off the field, 
while the English pursued the fleeing French soldiers. 

The hospitals where the wounded were cared for were 



286 MONTCALM 

in the convents, where the nuns nursed English and French 
alike. Montcalm was carried to one near the city. When 
the surgeon was dressing his wound, Montcalm asked 
whether it was fatal. When told that it was, he appeared 
glad and asked how long he was likely to live. The 
surgeon replied that he would die in a few hours, prob- 
ably. Montcalm said : " So much the better ; I shall not 
live to see the surrender of Quebec." He died in the 
morning of September 14, and on the morning of the i8th 
Quebec was surrendered to the English. • Montcalm was 
buried in the Cathedral grounds, and some one has said 
that "the funeral of Montcalm was also the funeral of 
New France." 

Topical Outline. — Why Montcalm was sent to America. His work 
in planning defenses and organizing an army. The capture of Oswego. 
The capture of Fort William Henry. The massacre l^y Indians after 
the surrender. How Montcalm faced the English general Wolfe. 
Montcalm's death. 

For Written Work. — A letter written by a soldier in Montcalm's 
army. 

Map Work. — Locate on an outline map the line of French forts from 
Louisburg to Duquesne (p. 273). Locate the English forts Oswego, 
William Henry, and Edward (map, p. 283). 



GENERAL WOLFE, THE ENGLISH 
COMMANDER 

The French and Indian War had been going on several 
years before the English government fully realized the 
serious situation in America. Then England came to see 
that the war was not a petty neigh- 
borhood quarrel, but a struggle that 
must determine whether France or 
England was to possess America. 
When convinced of this, she sent over 
a man whose qualities as a general 
were far greater than those of any 
one before intrusted with command in 
the New World. General James Wolfe 
was the man. 

James Wolfe was the son of an 
English army officer of rank. As a 
child he was delicate. When a little 
lad he wanted to be a soldier like his 
father, and by the time he was fifteen 
he had become robust enough to enter 
the army. Next year his regiment was sent to wage war in 
Flanders, and he did what was assigned to him so well that 
he was regularly promoted. At twenty-three he was made 
lieutenant colonel. 

For several years he was in service in Scotland, where 

287 




A British soldier. 



288 GENERAL WOLFE 

he used his leisure in diligent study of Latin and mathemat- 
ics. From the first of his experience he showed a remark- 
able ability in commanding men. It was indeed unusual 
that a man so young should hold so high a rank as lieuten- 
ant colonel. He realized the danger to his own character, 
for he says in a letter to his mother written about this time, 
*' The fear of giving way insensibly to the temptations of 
power till I become proud, insolent, and intolerable, — these 
considerations will make me wish to leave the regiment 
before next winter ; that by frequenting men above myself 
I may know my true condition." He went to Paris for 
six months, studied French, and saw much of the best so- 
ciety. While in France he also learned much about the 
armies of Europe and about French miUtary methods that 
served him well a few years later. 

In personal appearance Wolfe is described as unattrac- 
tive. He was tall and very slender, with particularly nar- 
row shoulders. He had a receding chin, an ugly nose, 
and a weak mouth. His hair was red and rather thin. It 
was not until men caught his eye that they saw really where 
his attraction lay. He is said to have had remarkably 
beautiful eyes that quickly showed the fine spirit of the 
man. He was of a nervous and excitable nature. Some- 
times he could be very stern, and again as tender as a 
woman. In many respects his nature was like that of 
Montcalm, for whom he had a very high personal regard. 
Wolfe made friends easily and kept them always. Sub- 
ordinate officers older than he obeyed his orders willingly, 
and the soldiers loved him. He was afraid of nothing, 
and never expected his men to go where he was not will- 
ing to lead them. Just before he left for Canada, he wrote 



THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 289 

to his mother: "All that I wish for myself is that I may 
at all times be ready and firm to meet that fate we can- 
not shun, and to die gracefully and properly when the 
hour comes." 

His first service in America was in the naval expedition 
that took Louisburg (1758). After this brief experience he 
returned to England and suffered a very serious attack of 
rheumatism. Soon after his recovery he was made major 
general, and in January, 1759, was given command of the 
expedition against Quebec. He was then only thirty-two 
years old. In a letter written to his uncle just before sail- 
ing, he says : " I am to act a greater part in this business 
than I wished. The backwardness of some of the older 
officers has in some measure forced the government to come 
down so low. I shall do my best, and leave the rest to 
fortune, as perforce we must when there are not the most 
commanding abilities. If I have health and constitution 
enough for the campaign, I shall think myself a lucky 
man ; what happens afterward is of no great consequence." 

When the English fleet reached the place on the St. 
Lawrence where the river pilots were usually taken on 
board, the captains ran up French flags to the mast. The 
pilots at once pushed out in their canoes, and were on 
board before they knew their error. It was hard for 
French pilots to be compelled to steer the enemy's boats 
through the dangerous channels of the St. Lawrence 
River. Sometimes they refused to work, but when threat- 
ened with instant death, they usually obeyed. 

By the end of June the English were anchored under 
the shelter of the Isle of Orleans, but a few miles below 
Quebec. Although Wolfe was young and impetuous, he 



290 



GENERAL WOLFE 



was in no hurry to open an engagement with the French. 
He took safe positions and then employed trusty men 
to find out the strength and exact location of French 
troops and defenses. Before long he took possession 
of the shore opposite Quebec, and began to bombard the 
city. 

Wolfe was always on the alert to test new positions. 
The French guns mounted on the bend of the river where 
the city stood were supposed to prevent the passage of 

English ships. After 
days of study and esti- 
mating distances, Wolfe 
decided to test them. 
So one night in the 
middle of July, Wolfe 
sent six ships up the 
river past these guns. 
They escaped uninjured. 
This was a valuable bit 
of knowledge to him. 
Now his army could 
move to any point on the river that he wished. 

Wolfe issued several proclamations, calling upon the 
Canadians to stand neutral ; if they did so, he promised 
protection to property and religion. At first they rejected 
his terms; later they wanted to accept thern, but did 
not dare for fear of the French soldiers and Indians. 
This dissatisfied and unsettled state of the Canadians made 
them poor material for Montcalm to use in resisting the 
English advances. 
There were several minor engagements during the sum 







\ /■' CAPTURE OF 

QLEBEC 



1 2 3 4 6 



THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 29 1 

mer. One of the most interesting was that of the fire 
rafts. The governor of Canada, who was acting independ- 
ently of Montcalm, thought he would try to set fire to the 
English fleet, which was anchored near the Isle of Orleans, 
about three miles downstream. He chained together sev- 
eral ships carrying much inflammable matter, loaded guns, 
and barrels of powder. This was towed out into the cur- 
rent of the river, then fired and directed downstream toward 
the Enghsh anchorage. But the French had miscalculated 
both time and distance, and before it had gone one third 
of the way, it had made so much noise that the EngUsh 
were aroused and on guard. They sent out some boats 
with grappling hooks, pulled the fiery mass out of the 
current, and beached it far away from the English fleet. 
The English soldiers afterward said that it was a pretty bit 
of fireworks. 

In August, Wolfe was very sick with fever, but his 
trusted officers continued observations and reports. By 
September i, Wolfe was up and around, although much 
weakened. One day with his telescope he was examining 
the cUff west of the city of Quebec, when he found that he 
could trace a winding path or trail up the steep bank of 
the river. At the top were the tents of only a few sol- 
diers. The main part of the French army lay east of 
Quebec downstream for several miles. Wolfe decided to 
send a small band of men up this path, and if they could 
seize the top of the cliff he would take the main army up 
and attack the French in the rear. The men were to be 
landed at night, so as not to give warning of the proposed 
attack. 

On September 12, all was ready. A part of the fleet 



292 GENERAL WOLFE 

Stationed itself opposite the main division of the French 
army and threatened to attack their position. After out- 
Hning his plans completely to his officers, Wolfe and his 
men started, all confident of success. All together he had 
about forty-eight hundred men, but it was a picked body of 
soldiers, well united and led by a great commander. 

As night approached, Wolfe spoke to one of his friends, 
saying that he did not expect to survive the undertaking. 
There was no sadness, for he was thoroughly absorbed in 
his great work. If that was successful, nothing else mat- 
tered. As the boats were going silently along in the dark- 
ness, Wolfe is said to have quoted the lines from Gray's 
" Elegy " — 

" The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, 
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, 
Await alike th' inevitable hour: 
The paths of glory lead but to the grave." 

Then he said : "Gentlemen, I would rather have written 
those lines than take Quebec to-morrow." 

As they approached the shore, a French sentry called 
out: "Who goes there.-*" The reply came back in good 
French, " Provision boats. Don't make a noise ; the 
English will hear us." This quieted the sentry, for he 
knew that provision boats were expected that night, and 
their safe arrival at Quebec depended largely upon the 
EngUsh troops' not finding out that they were coming. This 
knowledge had reached the English through Canadian 
deserters. The landing was made a short distance from 
the sentry's position. The path up the cliff was steep 
and difficult, but the men silently climbed up The 
French outpost at the top of the cliff was soon taken, and 



THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 



293 



by daylight Wolfe's men were in position on the Plains of 
Abraham, a little west of the city. 

Montcalm hurried up with part of his army about eight 
o'clock, and at once attempted to drive the English away, 
but the men held their ground. The fighting was largely 



s^Sp^' '^ 




The British charge at Quebec. 

by infantry and with small arms ; for Wolfe had been 
unable to drag big guns up the cliff, and Montcalm had 
come in too great haste to bring cannon. After a httle 
scattered firing, Wolfe ordered the English to advance in 
soHd ranks. They halted when but forty paces from the 
French. The command then rang out to fire, and volley 
followed volley from every English gun. As the smoke 
cleared away, many of the French lay dead and wounded 



294 



GENERAL WOLFE 



on the ground, while the rest began to retreat, Wolfe led 
another charge, and was three times wounded. The third 
ball entered his breast, and he staggered and fell. His 

men carried him to the 
rear, while he warned 
them not to let the main 
army know that he had 
fallen. He said he did 
not need a physician, 
for he knew that it was 
all over with him. Just 
then he heard the shout : 
" They run ! see how 
they run!" "Who 
run ? " asked Wolfe. 
"The enemy, sir. 
They give way every- 
where ! " " Go to Colo- 
nel Burton," said Wolfe, 
" and tell him to march 
Webb's regiment to the 
Charles River to cut off 
the retreat from the 
bridge." Then he sank 
back and murmured, " Now, God be praised, I shall die 
in peace ! " and in a few moments he was gone. 

On the morning of September i8, Quebec was surren- 
dered to the English. This was practically the end of the 
war, but the treaty of peace was not made until 1763, 
when France had to give up all claim to land in North 
America. 




Monument to Wolfe and Montcalm. 



THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 295 

Both Montcalm and Wolfe were great generals. Each 
gave the other full credit for his ability, and they might 
have been warm personal friends, had their countries not 
been at war. Wolfe's body was soon carried to his home 
in England, but a monument to-day marks the place of the 
battle. This monument was erected to the memory of 
both Montcalm and Wolfe. 

Topical Outline. — Wolfe entered the English army at fifteen, served 
at the capture of Louisburg, and in 1759 ^^^ sent to capture Quebec. 
After a long siege he surprised the French, September, 14, 1759, by 
appearing on the Plains of Abraham with his army. • A battle followed, 
in which the English were victors ; but Wolfe died on the field. Quebec 
surrendered September 18, 1759. End of the French and Indian War. 
The monument erected to Montcalm and Wolfe. 

For Written Work. — 1. Compare the English army with the French 
soldiers before Quebec. II. A little girl in Quebec describes her ex- 
periences the day of the battle. 



EXP. & F. — 19 



i? 



SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 

The boys and girls of New York ought to be proud of 
the history of their state. Its pleasant valleys, its noble 
rivers, and its beautiful lakes have witnessed many stirring 
scenes in the history of our country. Here the Iroquois, 
in their Long House, extending from the Hudson to the 
Niagara, lived and formed a rude but powerful republic. 
Around New York Bay the Dutch and the English settled 
and laid the foundations of the greatest of our American 
cities, a city destined to become the gateway to a mighty 
continent. Up the rugged Hudson and into the fertile 
plains of the Mohawk valley traders and pioneers pushed, 
planting little settlements wherever the land was good or 
the water power abundant. 

In many respects New York has had a history as worthy 
as that of any New England colony, but New England has 
taken a more prominent place because many of her pio- 
neers were men and women of education, accustomed to 
keep careful records, while the sturdy Dutch farmers and 
traders who settled New Netherland were simple folk, too 
much occupied with clearing their farms to care very much 
what people in future days would know of them and their 
deeds. So the stories of the old Dutch days and ways in 
New Amsterdam, the legends of the Hudson River, and the 
tales of the Iroquois have not been so often or so well told 
as we wish they were. In recent years, however, there has 

296 



SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 29/ 

been an increasing interest in the history of New York and 
in the men who have made it the Empire State. 

For nearly a century after Henry Hudson sailed up the 
river which bears his name, the Dutch settlers clung to 
Long Island and the Hudson valley, but about the begin- 
ning of the eighteenth century settlements began to spring 
up along the lower part of the Mohawk valley. The colony 
was now in the hands of the English, and large tracts of 
the fertile lands through this valley were purchased from 
the king by Enghshmen or by wealthy members of the 
colony. In this way Sir Peter Warren, an admiral in the 
English navy, obtained a grant on the south side of the 
Mohawk River between the present cities of Schenectady 
and Amsterdam. Not caring to look after this property 
personally, he sent over his nephew, William Johnson, to act 
as his agent. The story of this young man's life is so 
closely woven into the history of the colony that we should 
study it carefully. 

WilHam Johnson was born in Ireland in 171 5. His father 
was an officer in a cavalry regiment, and his mother was a 
sister of Sir Peter. He was an active and somewhat un- 
ruly boy, keen-witted, and even in boyhood gave promise of 
becoming a strong man. His father wished to have him 
enter the army, but he chose the law instead. While 
studying for this profession, he fell in love with a pretty 
Irish girl whom his parents would not permit him to marry. 
It was just after this disappointment that his uncle. Sir 
Peter Warren, offered to send him to America as manager 
of the estate on the Mohawk. Johnson eagerly accepted 
the position. Like many other young men, he hoped to win 
fame and fortune in the New World. 



298 SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 

Johnson arrived at his uncle's estate in the spring of 
1738. It was a responsible position for a young man of 
twenty-two to take, but he set about his duties with energy 
and a determination to succeed. He built a storehouse and 
dwelling at a settlement called Warrenbush, and proceeded 
to make friends with his Dutch neighbors and with the 
Indians. Here he Hved for five years, learning the lan- 
guage both of the Dutch and of the Indians, clearing the 
forest lands and selling farms. He also built up a profit- 
able fur trade with the Indians, whom he always treated 
honestly. 

While engaged in this work for his uncle, Johnson began 
to buy and clear land for himself. Several thousand acres 
of this land were located north of the Mohawk River and 
west of his uncle's property. Here, in 1743, Johnson built 
a stone house which is now standing, about a mile west of 
the present city of Amsterdam. In this mansion Johnson 
and his family lived for twenty years, and as he increased 
in wealth and influence, the old house was the scene of 
many gatherings of the prominent people in the colony. 
Here the Indians often met for counsel and were enter- 
tained as the guests of Johnson. 

Harold Frederic, in his delightful story" In the Valley," 
thus describes the house : " At the distance of a mile or 
so lay Mount Johnson or Fort Johnson, as one chose to 
call it. It could not be seen for the intervening trees, but 
so important was the fact of its presence to me that I never 
looked eastward without seeming to behold its gray stone 
walls with their windows and loopholes, its stockade of 
logs, its two little houses on either side, its barracks for the 
guard upon the ridge back of the gristmill, and its accus- 



SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 299 

tomed groups of grinning black slaves, all eyeballs and 
white teeth, of saturnine Indians in blankets, and of bold- 
faced fur traders." The house was at one time roofed 
with lead plates ; these were melted to make bullets in the 
Revolution. 

Within a few years after the building of this new house 
Johnson's first wife died, and he wooed and won Molly 
Brant, the daughter of a Mohawk chief and the sister of 
Joseph Brant, the most noted Indian of New York. She 
was a beautiful Indian girl of about sixteen when Johnson 
first saw her at a militia muster near Fort Johnson. In a 
spirit of fun, she asked an ofificer, who was riding about 
on a spirited horse, to let her ride behind him. To his 
surprise, when he consented, she leaped upon the horse's 
back, holding on tightly to the officer, with her dark hair 
flying in the wind, while the frightened horse dashed over 
the parade ground. The crowd cheered the daring girl, 
and Johnson, admiring her courage, afterward took her 
home as his wife. Molly Brant lived with Sir William 
until his death and presided over his household affairs 
with dignity and efficiency. She must have been a woman 
of forceful character, for she was always treated with re- 
spect by Sir William's friends and was called " the Brown 
Lady Johnson." 

It was partly due to his relations with her that Johnson 
had so much influence with the Indians. But there were 
other and more important reasons for his control over 
them. He had hunted and fished with them ; he had joined 
in their sports and met in their councils, and had been 
adopted as a member of the Mohawk tribe. In his business 
affairs as a trader he had been honest and fair with them. 



300 SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 

So the Indians came to trust him more and more. A few 
other white men in the valley, as Arendt van Corlear and 
Peter Schuyler, in days gone by, had been honorable 
and upright in their dealings with the red men, but at 
this time most of the traders were unfair and dishonest, so 
Johnson's conduct was all the more creditable. 

His influence over the Indians finally became so great, 
and their confidence in him so unbounded, that the gov- 
ernor made him Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the 
colony. This appointment he held, with the exception of a 
short time, until his death. The position was one of grow- 
ing importance. For years the French in Canada and on 
the western frontier had been building forts and extending 
their territory. They laid claim to that portion of New 
York which is drained by the St. Lawrence River system, 
and had endeavored to establish themselves in New York 
by building forts and trading posts. In the earlier wars 
which the French and English had fought in America, 
the main protection of the colonies of New England and 
Pennsylvania from attacks by the French and their Indian 
allies was provided by the powerful Iroquois tribes who lived 
in central New York and who were loyal to the English. 
It was Johnson's duty to keep them loyal and to secure 
their aid. So, in 1754, when the last and greatest of these 
wars, the French and Indian War, was threatening, a con- 
gress of delegates from the northern colonies was held at 
Albany. This council was called for the purpose of mak- 
ing plans to protect the colonies in the coming war and to 
renew the treaty with the Iroquois. It was at this meet- 
ing that Benjamin Franklin presented the first definite plan 
for uniting the colonies that had ever been offered. 



SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 301 

The war commenced in earnest in 1755, when the 
EngHsh government sent General Braddock over to take 
command of the forces in America. One of the land 
campaigns then 'planned was against Crown Point. It 
was placed in charge of William Johnson, now a major 
general, and he immediately set about gathering men and 
supplies for the campaign, and collecting them at Fort 
Edward. The natural route from Canada to New York 
was up Lakes Champlain and George and over a short 
"carry " to the Hudson River. The French, appreciating 
the importance of this route, had built a strong fort at 
Crown Point, near the head of Lake Champlain, and had 
put it under the command of Baron Dieskau. It was this 
fort that Johnson wished to capture in order to control the 
Champlain route. 

Late in August, Johnson advanced to Lake George. 
The French general about this time was leading a force 
to attack Fort Pxlward, and on September 8, 1755, the 
two armies met and fought a desperate battle. Both 
leaders were severely wounded, and after Baron Dieskau 
was captured, the French retreated. On this battle 
field Johnson built Fort William Henrx'. The English 
government rewarded Johnson for this victory by a 
gift of five thousand pounds, and the king made him a 
baronet, so that he was thereafter called Sir William 
Johnson. 

The next important campaign in which Johnson was 
engaged was in 1759, when the English moved against 
Fort Niagara. General Prideaux, who was in command, 
was accidentally killed, and Johnson took his place as 
leader. After a short siege the fortress was surrendered 



302 SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 

to the English. The next year Johnson with a large num- 
ber of Indians joined in the attack on Montreal. 

In all of these campaigns it is worthy of note that Sir 
William Johnson always controlled his Indian allies and 
prevented the cruelties and massacres which usually 
marred the employment of Indians as soldiers. Probably 
the best example of his influence over the red men was 
shown after the war had ended. When the great Indian 
chief Pontiac was arousing all the western tribes against 
the colonists, Sir William Johnson was able to keep most 
of the Iroquois quiet, and so prevented a great Indian war 
in New York, that would probably have wiped out all of 
the settlements west of the Hudson River. 

Johnson held a great council with the Indians at Fort 
Niagara, and two years later at Oswego he met Pontiac 
to bury the hatchet and smoke the pipe of peace. For 
his services in behalf of the colonies and England, the 
government gave Johnson a tract of sixty-six thousand 
acres north of the Mohawk. This was known as Kings- 
borough, or the " Royal Grant." He already owned some 
property in the vicinity, and had erected a manor house, 
known as Johnson Hall, for himself. Here a settlement 
of over one hundred families, mostly servants or tenants 
of Sir William, marked the beginning of the present pros- 
perous city of Johnstown, New York. 

Johnson always contributed liberally to public enter- 
prises. He aided in the building of churches, and was 
especially interested in the education of the Indians. 
Several of the buildings at Johnstown erected in his time 
are still standing, notably the courthouse, the jail, and 
Johnson Hall. At Johnstown Sir William established the 



SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 



303 



first free school in the state of New York, He paid the 
teacher and furnished the school, and it was absolutely free 
to everybody. The jail and courthouse were paid for by 
the English government, and cost sixteen hundred pounds. 
The walls of the jail were made of stone and were four 
feet thick. The courthouse was built from brick brought 




Johnson Hall, as it looks to-day. 

from England, and stands to day with exterior unchanged. 
Chief-Justice Kent has presided in it, Aaron Burr has 
pleaded cases there, and so also have the great Irish orator 
Emmet, and later Horatio Seymour. Instead of a bell, a 
steel triangle hangs in the courthouse tower, and court 
is called by striking it with a hammer. Johnson Hall is a 
fine old colonial mansion. It was guarded by two block- 
houses, one of which is still standing. The mahogany 
railing of the hall stairway still shows the marks of Brant's 
tomahawk, made, it is said, to warn the Indians not to 
burn the house. 



304 



SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 



Johnson also owned over ten thousand acres of fertile 
land around the headwaters of the Susquehanna River. 
In time he came to be the master of a vast estate. Next to 
William Penn, he was the greatest landowner on the con- 
tinent. An interesting story is current in the Mohawk 
valley of how he came into possession of one large tract of 




Courthouse at Johnstown. 

land. Old King Hendrick of the Mohawks was at his 
house at the time Sir WiUiam received two or three rich 
suits of military clothes. A short time afterward, Hendrick 
came to Sir William and said, " I dream." " Well, what did 
you dream }" " I dream you gave me one suit of clothes." 
"Well, I suppose you must have it," and he gave him one. 
Some time afterward Sir WilHam met Hendrick and 
said, 'I dreamed last night." "Did you.? What did 



SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON 305 

you dream ? " " I dreamed you gave me a tract of land," 
describing it. After a pause Hendrick said, " I suppose 
you must have it," and then raising his finger significantly, 
added, "You must not dream again." We do not know 
how true this story is, but some of the early deeds use 
the words " being a parcel of Sir William Johnson's dream- 
land tract." 

One of the greatest of Johnson's public services was the 
negotiation of the Fort Stanwix treaty. Here, in 1768, on 
the site of the present city of Rome, over three thousand 
Indians met Sir WilHam Johnson, and over the council 
fires renewed their ancient covenants with the English, 
and made a treaty whereby a vast territory south and east 
of the Ohio, Susquehanna, and Unadilla rivers was first 
opened to settlement. In the records of Pennsylvania is 
an account of the purchase by the heirs of William Penn 
of part of this land from the Indians for ten thousand 
dollars. 

The later years of Johnson's life were passed quietly at 
Johnson Hall, where he entertained lavishly. He died 
there in 1774, just as the war clouds of the Revolution 
were gathering. It has been rumored that he committed 
suicide in order to avoid making a choice between the 
king and the colonies in the coming war. But it was 
not like the brave old man to shirk his duty in such a cow- 
ardly fashion. It is much more probable that he was put 
out of the way by some of his traitorous relatives, who 
would have lost their power and influence over him had 
he decided to aid the cause of Independence. Had he 
lived, we like to think that he would have sided with the 
colonists in their struggle for liberty. He had been sig- 



3o6 



SIR WILLIAM J()IIX>ON 



nally honored by the king, but his heart was with the colo- 
nies, especially his own New York. With his great wealth, 
his undoubted ability, and his influence, he would have 
stood second only to Washington and Franklin. 

Topical Outline. — Early life of Sir William Johnson. Why he came 
to America. His duties as manager of the estate. Johnson gradually 
becomes a large landholder. His influence over tlie Indians. De- 
scription of old Fort Johnson. Story of Molly Brant. Johnson's serv- 
ices to the English crown in the French and Indian War. His later 
life at Johnstown. 

Map Work. — Draw an outline map of New York state, and on it lo- 
cate Fort Edward, Fort William Henry, Fort Stanwix, Fort Niagara. 




Indian s head. 



INDEX 



Diacritic marks: a as in late ; a as m fat ; a as m far ; a as m fall ; -e.-eh as in cask, 

chasm ; i; as in ice ; e as in me: e as in met, berry; e as in vezi; y, as in gem; ~ as in go; 
i as in mine ; \ as in tin ; i as in police; 6 as in note ; § as in netus ; u as in tune; u as in 
nut ; u as in ruae ; y as in my. Single italic letters are silent. 



A'bra-ham, Plains of, 293. 

Al'ba-ny, founded, 176; Plan of Union, 

267, 300. 
Al'den, John, 139. 
Al-ex-an'der, Indian chief, 243, 244. 
Al-gon'quins, 204. 

Al'le-ghe-ny Mountains, 274; River, 210. 
Al-mii'gro, 72. 
A-mer'i-ca, named, 41. 
A-me-ri'go, 38-41. 
Am'Aerst, General, 285. 
An-nap'o-lis, Md., 223. 
Ar'gall, Captain, 134. 
Ar-ma'da, Spanish, 99-102, 109. 
At'til-a, 19. 
Av'a-lon, 220. 
A-z6r^s', Columbus at, 33. 
Az'tecs, 64-71. 

Ba'con, Nathaniel, 255-259. 
Ba-ha'ma Islands, Vespucius in, 44. 
Bal-bo'a, 57-62. 
Hal'ti-more, Lord, 219-224. 
Bar-ce-16'na, Columbus at, 33-34. 
Berk«^'ley, Sir William, 253-260, 223. 
Block, Captain Adrian, 175. 
Blockhouse, 157. 
Bloody Brook, battle, 249. 
Bos'ton, foundetl, 154, 157. 
Brad'dock, General Edward, 276-280. 
Brad'ford, Governor William, 139, 142, 

146. 157- 
Brant, Joseph and Molly, 299. 
Breton (brii'un) fishermen, 187. 



Brew'ster, Elder, 139, 144. 
Brook'field, attacked, 247. 
Brouage (broo-azh'), 195." 

Cabeza (ka-va'tha) de Va'ca, 48. 

Cab'ot, John and Sebastian, 87-90. 

Cal'verts, 219-223. 

Can'a-da, 193, 205 ; see Quebec. 

Ca-non'chet, 249, 250. 

Ca-non'i-cus, 144. 

Car-o-li'na, French colony, 198. 

Cartier (kar-tya'), Jacques (zhak), 187- 

193- 
Car'ver, John, 139, 142. 
Ca-thay', 20. 

Cath'o-Iics, in Maryland, 219-224. 
Cavelier (ka-va-lya'), Robert, 208. 
Cebu (tha-voo'), 85. 
Qham-plain', Samuel de, 195-206. 
Ches'a-peak^ Bay, 115. 
Chick-a-hom'i-ny River, Smith on, 118. 
Chris-ti'na, Fort, 183. 
gi-pan'go, 35. 
Ciay'born^, William, 222. 
Co-lum'bus, Christopher, 25-36. 
Compass, 29. 
Con-nect'i-cut, 182, 165. 
Con-stan-ti-no'ple, 24. 
Contintmtal Congress, 268. 
Cor'tez, Her-nan'do, 63-71. 
Cr^veccEur (kriiv-ker'), Fort, 211, 212. 
Cro-a-toan', 109. 
Crown p. 'inl, 301. 
Cuzco (koos'ko) captured, 78. 



307 



3o8 



INDEX 



Dare, Virginia, 109. 

Da-ri-en', 58. 

Debtors' prisons, 236. 

Declaration of Independence, 259, 26S. 

Deer'field, attacked, 247. 

Del'a-ware colony, 232. 

De Le-6n', Ponce (pon'tha), 42-46. 

IJelft Haven, 137. 

De Litque (loo'ka), 72. 

De So'to, Ferdinand, 47-56, 75, 78, 

Dev'on-shir^, 103. 

U/es'kau, Baron, 301. 

Din-wid'die, Governor, 275. 

Don-na-co'na, 188, 192, 193. 

Drake, Sir Francis, 91-101, 108. 

Duquesne (doo-kan'), Fort, 275-280, 284. 

Duich in America, 168-186. 

Du-val', 203. 

Dux'bur-y 147, 148. 

Eb-en-e'zer, founded, 240. 
lii Do-ra'do, 48. 
El'i-oi, Rev. John, 251. 
E-liz'a-beth, Queen, 93, 104, no. 
England, explorations, 88-103 ; coloniza- 
tion, 105-125, 137-166, 185,186, 220-242. 
Er'ic the Red, 11, 12, 14. 
E'rie, Lake, 210. 
E-so'pus, 186. 

Flor'i-da, discovered, 44-46. 

P'o.x, George, 225. 

FVance, explorations, 187-200, 208, 217; 
colonization, 193, 200-206, 217, 218, 
274, 275; war with England, 275-295; 
treaty with United States, 268. 

Frank'lin, Benjamin, 261-271, 300. 

Fred-er-i'ca, battle, 241. 

Fiench and Indian War, 275-295. 

P^rob'ish-er, 112. 

Fron'te-nac, Fort, 213, 284. 

Fur trade, 174, 175, 193, 205. 

(ias-pe', Cartier at, 187. • 

General Court, 158. 
Gen'o-a, 24. 
(Jeor'gi-a, 235-242. 
Gil'bert, Sir Humphrey, 106. 



Goffir, General, 249. 
Golden Hind, 95-99. 
Great Meadows, battle, 276, 
Greenland, 12. 
Grif-/on' , 210. 
Gro'ton, 247. 

Had 'ley, attacked, 248. 
Ha/'ti, 32, 35. 
Half-Moon, 169. 
Haw'kins, Sir |ohn, 92, loi, 
Hel'lu-land, 12. 
Hen'drick, 304. 
His-pan-io'la, 32. 
Hoch-e-la'ga, 189, 190, 198. 
Hol'land, 168. 
House of Bur'gess-es, 253. 
Hud'son, Henry, 169-174. 
Hu'g//e-nots, 104, 225. 
Hutch'in-son, Anne, 165. 

Il-li-noii' River, 211. 

In 'ca, 74-79. 

In'di-ans, named, 31 ; life, 126-131. 

Indies, route to, 26, 27, 81, 168. 

Ir-o-quoij', 176, 204, 205, 296, 300. 

Is-a-bel'la, Queen, 28, 34-36. 

Ja-ma/'ca, 35. 
Jam^s'town, 117-123, 258. 
John'son, Sir William, 297-306. 
Johns'town, founded, 302. 
loliet (zho-lya'), 210. 

Karl-sef'ni", 15. 

Ke/th, Sir William, 264. 

K/eft, Governor, 181, 182. 

King Philip's War, 243-252. 

Kings'ton, 186. 

Ku'bldi Khan', 19-21. 

La-cross?', 129. 

La-dron(?s', 85. 

Lake George, battle, 301. 

La Sail*-', Robert Cavelier de, 208-217. 

L^if, 12-14. 

'Ley'Aew, 136. 

Li' ma, 78, 96. 



INDEX 



309 



Line of demarcation, 197. 
London Company, 114, 151. 
Lou'is-burg, capture of, 284. 
Lou-i-ji-a'na, 216. 

Ma-gel'lan, Ferdinand, 81-86. 
Magellan, Strait of, 84. 
Man-hat'tan, purchased, 177. 
Mar-quette' (-ket'). Father, 210. 
Mar-se/71<?s', Smith at, 113. 
Ma'ry-iand, 220-224. 
Mason and Dixon Line, 223. 
Mas-sa-chu'setts Colony, 151-159, 161, 

227. 
Mas'sa-soit, 143, 144, 243. 
Ma-ta-o'ka, 126. 
Mau-vi"la, 52, 53. 
May'jlower, 138, 1^2. 
Mayflower Compact, 139, 140. 
Mer-ca'tor, 41. 
Mex'i-co, conquest of, 64-71. 
Mi9h'i-gan, Lake, 210. 
MIn'u-it, Peter, 177-179, 183. 
Mis-sis-sip'pi River, discovered, 54,55; 

explored, 210, 213-216. 
Mo-bilif', named, 53. 
Mo-luc'cas, 85. 
Mo-non-ga-he'la River, 277. 
Mon-ro', Colonel, 282, 283. 
Mont-ca/m', 281-286. 
Mon-fe-zu'ma, 65, 67-70. 
Mont-re-al', 192, 274. 
Mus'co-vy Company, 169. 

NSr-ra-gan'setts, 165, 249, 250, 251. 

Nar-va'ez (-ath), 50. 

Ne-ces'si-ty, Fort, 276. 

New Al'bi-on, 98. 

New Am'ster-dam, 178, 184, 186. 

New England, settled, 139-166; King 

Philip's War in, 243-252. 
New'found-land, 187. 
New ler'sey colony, 186, 228. 
New Neth'er-l.ind, 176-186. 
New Or'le-ans, founded, 274. 
Nev.''port, founded, 165. 
New Swe'den, 183. 
New York, 186, 296-306. 



New York city (New Amsteidam), 

founded, 176, 177, 184, 186. 
Ni-ag'a-ra, Fort, 284, 301. 
Nifia (nen'ya), 28, 33. 
North'men, 11-17. 
Northwest Passage, search for, 103, 124, 

171, 172, 174, 188, 199. 

O'gle-thorpi?, General James Edward, 

235-242. 
Ojeda (o-ha'tha), 38. 
Or'ange, Fort, 176. 
Order of Mirth, 201. 
Or'le-ans, Isle of, 289. 
Ortiz (or-teth'), 50. 
Os-we'go, captuifd, 282, 285. 

Pa-cif'ic Ocean, discovered, 60, 84. 

Pa'los, 29. 

Par'lia-ment, 236. 

Pa-troons', 17S, 180. 

Peck'su-ot, 146. 

Penn, William, 227-233. 

Penn-syl-va'ni-a, 229-233, 222. 

Pe'quots, 148, 166. 

Pe-ru', conquest of, 73-79. 

Phil-a-del'phi-a, founded, 231. 

Phil'ip, Indian chief, 243-252. 

Phil'ip-pin^s, 85. 

Pil'grims, 136. 

Pin'ta, 28, 33. 

Pinzon (pen-th5n'), 30, 33. 

Pl-zar'ro, Francisco, 72-79. 

Plai'ta River, 40. 

Plym'iJuth colony, 141-148. 

Po-ca-hon'tas, 122, 123, 126, 130, 135. 

Po'lo, Marco, 19-23. 

Ponce (pon'tha) de Le-on', Juan, 42-46 

Pon'ti-ac, 302. 

" Poor Richard's Almanac," 265. 

Por'to R'l'co, 42-46. 

Port Royal, founded, 200. 

P5r'tii g//es<? explorers, 26. 

Po-to'mac River, 220. 

Pow-ha-tan', 120-123. 

Prideaux (pre'do), CJeneral, 301. 

Prov'i-dence, founded, 165. 

Pu'ri-tans, 136, 150, 151, 161. 



3IO 



INDEX 



Quak'ers, 225-228, 232. 

Que-bec', iy8, 205, 274 ; siege of, 284- 

286, 289-294. 
Quintero (ken-ta'ro), 63. 

Ra'\ei£^A, Sir Walter, 103-111, loi. 

Rar'i-tan Indians, 181. 

Read, Deb'o-rah, 264. 

Rhode Island, settlement of, 165. 

Ribaut (re-bo'), 198. 

Ri-<ph^-l/>u River, 203. 

Ro-a-nokif, colony, 108, 109. 

Ro-ber-val', 193. 

Rolft?, John, 134. 

Rouen (roo-ang'), 208. 

St. Au'gus-tln^, attacked by Oglethorpe, 

240. 
St. Croi-i", colony, 200. 
St. Law'rence, 188-193. 
St. Ma-lo', 187. 
St. Ma'rys, founded, 221. 
Sa'lem, 153. 
Sain'o-set, 143. 
San Sal-va-dor', 31. 
Santa A/d-r'i'a, 28, 32. 
San-t'i-a'go, battle cry, 76. 
Sau'sa-man, 246. 
Sa-van'nah, founded, 238. 
Se^en-ec'ta-dy, 297. 
S€/4«y'ler, Peter, 300. 
Scy^uyrkill River, 231. 
Scroo'by, 136. 
Sea of Darkness, 27. 
Se/-lan' (Cey-lon'), 22. 
Sen'e-ca Indians, 209. 
Sep'a-ra-tists, 136. 
Se)''m6«r, Horatio, 303. 
Shaw'a-noes, 213. 
Skrrtel'ings, 15, 16. 
Smith, Captain John, 1 12-125, '^3^> '33' 

141, 170. 
South Car-o-li'na, 235. 
Spain, explorations of, 28-39, 42-86; 

colonization, 35, 43, 58, 71, 79, 168; 

war with England, 99-101, 240. 
Squan'to. 143, 144, 145. 



Sta-da-con^', 189, 192, 193, 198. 
Stan'dish, Miles, 139-148. 
Stan'wix, Fort, treaty, 305. 
Stocks, 158. 

St«y've-sant, Peter, 181-186. 
Swan 'sea, attacked, 246. 
Swedes, in America, 183. 

Ta-wa-Sfn'tha, 176. 
Thanksgiving Day, 146, 15c 
Thor'vald, 14. 
Ti-con-der-o'ga, 284, 285. 
Tol-er-a'iion .Act, 223. 
TSn'ty, Henry, 210, 212, 213, 215. 
Tos-ca-nei'li, 26. 
Tre-mont', 154. 
Tus-ca-loo'sa, 52, 53. 

Val-pa-rrti'so, Drake at, 95. 

Van Cor'lear, Arendt, 300. 

Van-ct^u'ver, 98. 

Ven-c-zue'la (-zwe'-), named, 39. 

V'en'ic^, 18, 19. 

Ve'ra Cruz, 67, 92. 

Verrazano (ver-rat-sa'no), 171, 198. 

Vespucci (vcs-poot'che), A-nie-ri"go, 38- 

41- 

Ves-pu'cius, A-mer'i-cus, 38-41. 

Vi'kings, 11. 

VIne'land, 14. 

\'ir-gin'i-a, named, 107 ; colony, 114-125, 

253-260. 
l^'ive k Noi (vev 1' rwa), 188, 215. 

Wam-pa-n5'ags, 143, 243-252. 
Wampum, 131, 179. 
Wash'ing-ton, George, 275-280. 
Wes'ley, |olin and Charles, 237. 
White, [ohn, 109. 
VVhit^'tield, George, 237. 
William Henry, Poit, 301, 282, 283. 
Williams, Roger, 160-166, 158, 251. 
Wins' low, Edward, 139. 
Win'throp, John, 151-159, 164. 
Wolftf, General (ames, 287-295. 

Yu-ca-tan', 64. 



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